Azure Grimoire of the Other Side
by Heraklinios
Summary: A new loop causes an anomaly which brings Raim Hanta to this dimension. And he's as snarky as hell. If you read "Human of the Other Side", you'll understand how he came here. Set during CT.
1. Rift

Time and space. They'll kick your ass if you don't pay attention.

People tend to say that they're intangible and can grow infinitely as long as life exists. Of course, that is if we don't auto-kill ourselves before we know what would hit us. But anyways, back to topic...during my lifetime in Gensokyo, I have seen, experienced and suffered many, many weird things. Ranging from cute girls throwing gigantic lasers at me to eldritch abobinations whose sole purpose is of mind raping to finding out that a certain "Louis" was watching my whole actions, trying to use me as a weapon against the place upstairs. I'm not kidding. Some serious shit happened to me.

And don't get me started with the theory of "Everything that's fictional is real, whether you aren't real or not."

...Please don't laugh. It makes things worse. But yeah, I thought things couldn't get any weirder by know.

But then...New Year's Eve came... and things got downright wrong... For me, that is...

*groan* I shouldn't have accepted that request...

Seriously, I'm both scared and angry. Scared because I don't know if I'll be able to come back and angry, because it's all Louis' fault. Now, don't get me wrong, I'll find my way back, even if I have to kill my way through. I like Gensokyo. And I'll be damned if I can't go back.

Also, I must add this. This dimensional corridor is lamer than I thought. It's only white along with several door-shaped portal on each side. My body is **not** in control of the situation, so you could say I'm just drifting off...

Hmm? I can see the end of this wormhole...

* * *

A Human of the Other Side sidestory.

* * *

I was blinded by the sun above the sky.

There's air with oxygen? Yes.

There's floor below my feet?

* * *

A **canon **sidestory.

* * *

Hell no.

...Oh shit.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Shitshitshitshitshit...SHIT!

* * *

**Azure Grimoire of the Other Side.**

Episode 1: Rift

* * *

Third's PoV

Rachel Alucard was enjoying her tea as usual. Well, she **could** have enjoyed more her tea, but she sighed with boredom. The time loop had reset yet again, without any further improvement in Ragna's actions, much to her dismay.

"It seems...I have failed once again...At this rate, nothing will change." Rachel sighed, not even the calm breeze managed to make her feel comfortable.

Even she started believing the taste of her tea to be the same with each loop.

"Oh dear, this is going nowhere..." Rachel said as she finished drinking her tea. "There's nothing to do."

With modest elegance, she stood up and lifted her gaze to the stars. Sure, she remembers that she did this before and noticed that the stars had changed their position, but that didn't make her lose her hopes of breaking the loop. The seeds she had sown will florish someday...the problem was that she didn't know exactly when.

Something...she wished for something to happen. But what?

Then she sensed it. A ripple in the time space continuum. Something unforseen had just happened.

"Hm?"

Rachel didn't expect this. But she wasn't afraid. In fact...

"Nago! Gii!" she said as her two familiars, one a black cat and the other a small red bat, appeared.

"Yes princess?" the cat asked.

"We're heading out posthaste! There's no time to waste!"

"Ohh!" the bat said excited. "Is it our time to shine?"

"I do not know just yet. But this unforseen development... *chuckle* My, I haven't felt this interested since the last two loops. Perhaps this time..."

She felt excitement. Something had happened, far beyond her expectations.

She vanished as she smiled.

"Madam, your tea is re-" Valkenhyen stopped mid-sentence as she noticed her mistress was already gone. "Oh dear...gone again? Ah, well, guess I'll just drink this. After all, you can't waste such good tea as this."

* * *

Jin Kisaragi is **not** a happy person. Especially when rumors of Ragna the Bloodedge being heading to Kagutsuchi began circulating, reaching the ears of the NOL. In fact, he went against their orders of not pursuing...this Death God, since he had a score to settle.

In fact, he was trying to squeeze out the information of any innocent bystander he could find. Some of them were frozen because "They were worthless trash."

"...What a waste of time. No useful information after all..." Jin scoffed as he walked over the Kagutsuchi Port (Area-0 to him).

THUD!

"Oh, pardon me!"

"Outta my way. I have no time for pests like you." Jin cut him off, not literally.

The pest in question was Carl Clover, along with him was an adult-sized puppet, which he frequently called "Sis" for no apparent reason. But there's more that meets the eye because that puppet **really **is her sister.

"Look sis..." Carl said as he drew closer to his puppet. "This is really the Hero of Ikaruga."

"Who the hell are you?" Jin said coldly.

"Pardon me. I'm not one to be cautious of. Just a vigilante."

"A vigilante? Then you must be-"

"That's exactly right." Carl said. "I know this may sound rude, but if you happen to kill the "Death God" before I get to him, it would be a terrible inconvenience."

"Hah! That's a lot of confidence coming from a wannabe." Jin said somewhat amused, but still annoyed by his presence.

"Why don't you talk about my confidence..." Carl said while preparing for battle. "...after you fight me?"

Jin thoughts were these.

"_The child is pathetic..._ Tch." Jin drew his sword. "Get out of my way."

* * *

Bang Shishigami...what there to say about Bang Shishigami? As he swiftly jumped over rooftop over rooftop at Ronin-Gai (Area-25 to the NOL), delivering justice and punishing evil, Bang Shishigami, self proclaimed hero of Kagutsuchi, was looking for Ragna the Bloodedge, since he needed the money to rebuild Ikaruga back to his former glory. With passion!

"Alright! Time for my special training to continue!" Bang said after finishing his usual breakfast. "Justice must be always ready to face evil!"

"Boss!" one of fellow ninja said.

"What is it? What is so important to interrupt my training?" Bang asked.

"Sir, we just found some information regarding the locations of the Death God!"

"What?" Bang, said completely surprised, as expected from him. "Tell me, where is he? I, Bang Shishigami, will not allow such evil to walk free!"

Yes...Bang Shishigami only cares about a few things. Love, justice and Litchi. He's...a little slow, if you know what I mean.

"Well, according to the rumors..."

* * *

"Thanks for help, doctor."

"Oh, it's no problem at all." Litchi Faye-Ling smiled as she guided the old man outside. "Just remember to apply to tonic directly to the forehead, and you'll be fine before you know it."

The old man left slowly.

"Whew, I have been busy today." she then looked at the sky. "...*sigh* I wonder what's he doing..."

"Do you what that was about, doc?" her assisstant Linhua interrupted her train of thought as she climbed down the window, where she saw NOL soldiers pasting some posters on the walls "Doc? Is something the matter? You seem pretty down..."

"Eh? Oh...sorry. It's just that..."

"Let me guess, you haven't found what you were looking for, right?" Linhua was sharp. "Ever since you came to Kagutsushi, you were always looking for something. If you want my opinion, I think you should rest a little."

"...Yeah. But this is something I must do." Litchi said with a small undertone of determination.

The only thing that troubled her was the whereabouts of...his friend.

"Are you going out today?" Linhua asked.

"Yes. If I don't try, then I will never be able to find what I'm looking for..."

"Okay, I understand. I'll look at the clinic while you're gone. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks Linhua, I'll be back." Litchi said while leaving the clinic.

Litchi looked to the sky and sighed. Even after Linhua tried to cheer her up, it wasn't that easy.

"This is more problematic than I thought. Maybe I should try looking down again...but then again, I haven't looked up too..."

She exited the clinic, but then noticed posters in the walls.

"They sure posted a lot in our wall didn't they?"

* * *

They posted a lot, sure enough, but one of those posters had already left the wall. It was taken by the wind itself and it slowly drifted below, to a place where the NOL soldiers didn't want to visit...

It finally landed in the middle of the Kaka Village, located below Kagutsuchi, where two little Kaka found the note...

"What's this?"

"Maybe the elder knows!"

* * *

Taokaka was enjoying her nap in a small grove where the sunlight managed to reach the village. Her face showed drowsiness of the highest level.

"Tao! Hey Tao!"

* * *

And not so far away from there...

Normally, this is what you would call a sewer. Nevertheless, Area 28 is recorded in the archives of the NOL as part of Kagutsuchi. However, the NOL only uses this area as...well...a "trash bin".

But they didn't notice a certain...creature that lurked inside, only thinking in devouring.

"Azur. Me_ t Azur_. Mu_t fi_ Azur_."

...or finding the "Azure".

This...thing is called Arakune. He once was human but I guess his search for knowledge and entering the boundary drove him...or it, a certain mix of insane and...knowledgable.

Don't ask me how this is possible.

"I wa_ eat a st_ oul. De_our de_our. Mu_ de_our to ge_ _able stren_. Eat. EAT."

And after that, he went off, searching for bodies which "were brimming with life".

* * *

Meanwhile...

"This is Tager. I have arrived at the destination."

Iron Tager, called the Red Devil of Sector Seven, called in from the communicator in his hand not so far where the poster landed. Some people may wonder how the communicator didn't get crushed by his hand...

"_How does it look? Like a nice, orderly pile of crap?"_ Kokonoe, Tager's boss said with a mocking tone.

"I'm getting close to the slums...I don't expect public order to be maintained." Tager said sternly as he walked, his giant frame an obvious signal he was there.

"_What makes you think there'd be any public order around there in the first place?"_ Kokonoe added. "_The Library doesn't give a damn about those people."_

_"_But I see a lot of undeveloped areas. I thought this area was scheduled to undergo massive development."

"_Hmph. Well, plans change. Has to do with the Ikaruga conflict, I'll bet." _she didn't seem to care about that_. "This city is a victim of Sector Seven's selfishness."_

Kokonoe's tone made Tager wonder if she blamed Sector Seven for what has happened here, even if both worked for them.

"_Thinking bad thoughts, Tager?" _she questioned. "_Heh heh. We're watching everything you do **and** everything you think, remember?"_

"No, it's nothing." Tager confirmed. "The three assets under Ikaruga control... I thought one of them was brought over here."

"I'm sure the princess is dreaming deep in her iron pot right now. The guy they're calling the "Death God"...Ragna the Bloodedge? Word is he'll show up in Kagutsuchi."

"I see... So Hakumen came here for Ragna the Bloodedge, huh?"

* * *

Speaking of which...

"It seems the time has come."

Standing still like a statue, the being known as Hakumen, reflected as time passed.

"Soon, **he** will appear before me. The Black Beast."

He took out his sword.

"The time is at hand. It will begin soon, and that beginning..."

As a powerful aura covered his body.

"...and it herald the end!"

He was ready. He was determined to destroy anything that stand in his way. His way of justice...

"I am Hakumen! THE END HAS COME!"

Haaamm...

* * *

"Initiating...initiating...initiating..."

Deep inside the Sheol Gate, a certain girl awoke, or should I say, started her "memory analysis".

"Checking for anomalities... 3%...10%...15%."

The girl stood motionless as she continued her intern analysis.

"...90%...100%. Analysis...complete." the girl, Nu, said, her face devoid of emotion. "Procceding to execute program...Loading...loading..."

She, as you **obviously** had noticed, was "created" and programmed to terminate anyone she deems as hostile subjects that come near the Gate. Behind her, lies the Cauldron, which...

"...Ragna..." she muttered as her body loaded the program. "Where...are you?"

It's still unknown if she genuinely likes Ragna the Bloodedge or if she was programmed to like him. Nevertheless...

* * *

"Tch. It was a pain in the ass taking this route. But at least, I have arrived."

He **obviously **won't like her.

Ragna the Bloodedge, the man with the highest bounty in the...well...**this** world, muttered as he secretly moved inside Kagutsuchi by foot. Normally, people take airships in order to move between cities due to the massive amount of seithr that lies on the surface, but then again, he didn't care and also, the seithr was pretty thin this time.

To make a reference, seithr is a substance that covers the planet. It can neither be seen nor smelled. In small doses, seithr is harmless to humans, but in very large quantities can have very negative side-effects; one can become addicted and their body will deteriorate. During the Dark War, The Black Beast spread this seithr all over the world, in order to operate. Because of this, the Six Heroes taught the humans the secrets of the 'Magus' in order to defeat the beast. Ars Magus was created to consume the seithr and utilize it as a source of energy. When one uses Ars Magus, they draw seithr out of the environment to power it but there is only so much seithr in a given area. If one were to use up all of this seithr, they would have to wait a while for it to replenish. Some people can perform Ars Magus with less seither than others. After the Dark War, a lot of humans and animals became tainted with the seithr and died off, save for the Kaka Clan. Humans were forced to move to high-altitude areas and create cities there.

This is the main reason that the 13th hierarchical city of Kagutsuchi was built over the Kaka clan's village, since they could survive an atmosphere filled with such amounts of seithr.

"What was that about anyway?" Ragna said while remembering a certain conversation he had last night.

* * *

_"Watch yourself, kid. Out this late, you might run into a ghost." _Jubei, the strongest creature on the planet said while appearing out of nowhere.

_"Oh it's just you. You know, ghosts never show up in a place like this. They'd normally appear in wells, attics... places like that." _

_"Where the hell'd you hear that?"_

_"I never was one of idle chit-chat."_ Ragna added. "_So what do you need from me? Don't tell me you're here to pick me up. Are you trying to tell me you took care of it, so I should just go home?"_

_"Oh, nothin' like that. Just thought I'd say howdy." _Jubei explained. "_Been following you for a spell."_

_"...Hm? So that strange presence was you."_

_"Knew I was there, did ya?"_

_"Yeah, for a while."_ Ragna said. "_You have been gradually shortening the distance between us, so I set up a camouflage just in case. I wanted to avoid battles if I could. Since it turned out to be just you, I guess I overreacted." _Ragna finished with a sigh.

"_Ha. I must be gettin' old if even a greenhorn like you can spot me."_

Jubei then started laughing jovialy.

"_What's so funny...?"_ Ragna asked, somewhat confused by the behavior of his master. _"You should be happy as a master that your apprentice has grown!"_

_"Hahaha...Ah hell. You gotten that good, you ain't gonna have no trouble at all."_

_"Huh...?" _that caught Ragna's attention. "_With what?"_

_"It's gonna be a mite different this time, kid."_ Jubei said in a more serious tone. _"Things ain't gonna go __the way you think. I'm just makin' sure you got a fair warning."_

_"About what? Without that information, it's not a very good warning, you know."_

_"...I saw him. He's here."_

_"Him?"_

_"He's looking for ya. You'll run in to him, sooner or later."_

_"What the hell are you talking about? Can you explain in a way I can understand?"_

_"Don't need to. You'll understand when ya meet him."_

_"Will you please speak in a human language? You're not making sense at all."_

_"Sorry, but I ain't human." _his master joked. "_You know that."_

_"Yeah yeah, whatever."_ Ragna didn't seem pleased with that answer. "_You're not going to tell me after all, are you? You never answered my questions on matters like this."_

_"Alright. I gotta get going."_

_"Unlike **you**, I have human legs. I want to get there by dawn."_ he said while looking at Kagutsuchi.

"..._That so?"_ Jubei asked. "_Well then Ragna, guess I'll be seein' ya."_

_"Yeah yeah. Good luck to you too."_

_As he stepped away toward Kagutsuchi, he couldn't help to feel...strange._

_"What the hell is this sensation...? Am I scared?"_

_But then he shrug it off._

_"Eh, no way."_

* * *

_"_But still...something is not right here." Ragna said to himself as he sneaked inside the lower levels of Kagutsuchi.

True enough, Jubei's warning didn't make him feel any better. In fact, he still felt uneasy.

"Grr... Dammit! I can't be scared. I guess it must be my imagination..."

* * *

At the same time...

BEEP

"Mmm..." a still sleeping girl muttered in her sleep.

BEEP

The last one woke her up.

"Huh? Ah! What? A message?"

Her grogginess faded away instantly.

"Y-Yes! Excuse me! This is Lieutenant Noel Vermillion speaking!" she quickly answered, with a slight tone of nervousness.

"_\_You sound very surprised...Did something happen?_\_"

"N-no... It's nothing." Noel answered. "_There's no way I can tell him I was taking a nap..."_

"_\_ Hm...well that's besides the point. Debrief me on the status of your mission. _\_"

"I am currently investigating the whereabouts of Mayor Jin Kisaragi, who has headed towards Kagutsuchi." Noel said, sounding more proffesional this time. "If possible, I am to detain the subject and bring him back to headquarters, sir."

"_\_ Remember, only detain the subject if you think it's possible. Also, the intelligence department will be joining the investigation. _\_"

"The inteligence department, sir?"

* * *

?'s PoV

The wind feels like it's trying to cut me in pieces... I can barely open my eyes due to the pressure...

"_Hey kid. You're in no position for fainting."_ a voice coming from my bokuto said.

The voice belonged to Kraid, the bokuto I was falling with. Don't ask how a sword can talk. As I said before, some very weird shit happened to me.

"I know!" I struggled to say those words." Do you think I like the situation I'm in? Hell no!

"**But damn! I never thought we were going to free fall like this!"** a more violent and disrespectful voice joined the conversation.

This is the bastard. He calls himself Glid, but he's really an asshole. No seriously, he's the main reason I get to these kind of messes. The weirdest part of all is that he resides in my head, so wherever I go, he follows. Grr... I wish I had a way to remove him from there...

"Shut up." I cut him out. "Okay, how are we going to get out of this situation?" I said while feeling my body started falling at a higher speed. Gah...damn you, forces of gravity.

"**Hell if I know. It's your freaking mess after all."**

"You know, these are the situations I wish I had a mute button for you."

"_Kid...don't look under you."_

_"_Why?" I said while looking below me.

Okay, time for physics. You know when a body moves at a great speed and with a constant acceleration, the force said body carries is greater with every passing second?

Yeah. Thank gravity for happening.

But you see... I have been freefalling for a really, **really** long time that I became the equivalent of a human sized bullet. And the metal plating became the equivalent of a kevlar vest...

"...Oh, son of a..."

* * *

"_\_ If you see Ragna the Bloodedge, do not engage the subject. You are to observe his movements. I repeat. DO NOT... _\_"

CRASH!

"Huh? What was...?"

* * *

? ? ?'s PoV

"MY BACK!" I shouted aloud as my back collided with the metal plating of the airship.

Another physics lesson gentleman. What happens when a high speed body collides with another body, which may or may not have metal plating?

The force transforms into heat.

"Oof!"

And what happens when a heated body crashes with the reserve fuel of a big freaking airship?

"...Oh crap."

BOOM!

...Yep. I don't think the next part needs to be explained.

* * *

Third's PoV

A big explosion occured in middair. The airship, currently carrying Noel Vermillion and our "guest" started to get consumed by the flames.

Needless to say, everybody noticed it.

* * *

Jin stopped his fight with Carl just by the sound...or because a part of the airship landed in the middle of their fight.

* * *

Bang gasped in surprise as he saw the airship fall slowly. As the good idiot he was, he rushed to the scene, ignoring his previous plan.

* * *

Litchi was worried if somebody got hurt by it. The fireballs looked menacing enough.

* * *

Tager wondered what was the loud noise he just heard, but he beared it no mind as he started planting the device.

* * *

Taokaka didn't even noticed it. She was more focused on finding food...

* * *

Hakumen ignored it. He was more focused in his meditation. So did Nu, but only because she was thinking about Ragna.

* * *

Arakune...well...

"Wha_ a bu_h of i_be_iles. - he said as he roamed through the sewers, trying to find prey."

* * *

Ragna saw the explosion, raised an eyebrow...and then turned his back.

"Tch. What the hell is wrong today? First he confuses me with his talk and now, airships are blowing up for no reason. Well, it not my problem, so why should I worry?"

* * *

And poor Noel...

"Waah!" she yelled as she saw the room surrounded by flames. "What happened? !"

She was scared. No, she was paralyzed in fear.

"...*whimper* I knew I should have learned what to do in these situations..." she lamented. "Is someone there? Hello?"

BOOM!

The door flew open.

"Aaah!"

* * *

And, looking all the events happening from afar, Rachel Alucard smiled.

"Oh my, this may be the chance I was waiting. Maybe...maybe now, the loop can be broken."

"You sure, princess?" Nago, the cat who now was serving as an umbrella asked. "I only see a big airship in flames falling."

"Yeah! I don't understand!" Gii, the bat familiar questioned.

She slapped both of them.

"Ouch! Why, princess?" both of them said in unison.

"How many times do I have to tell you the same? Don't interrupt me, unless you want to get punished."

"Eep!" Gii yelped.

"But then, what are we going to do now, princess?" Nago inquired.

"For now, we wait. I want to see the..."cause" of this accident."

"Yes, princess!" both of them said.

Rachel vanished, a small smile in her face.

* * *

? ? ?'s PoV

Why do I feel I'll get involved in something I won't like...?

However, I know a thing for certain...

When I get out of this place...I'm gonna seriously kill Louis for this...


	2. Screwing things up

...Arms? Check.

...Legs? Bruised, but okay.

Organs? ...Hmm, no internal bleeding, I suppose...

I stood up from the burnt debris as I raised my view. Blazes were consuming the entire ship quickly like a spreading plague during the Dark Ages of Europe...Also, it is quickly consuming my precious air.

"Problems problems problems..." I muttered under my breath. "Why? Why God? Why won't you let me have a decent day for once? Yeah, I said you were a douche, but come on! At least give me a break!"

"**Give it up kid. He won't listen. It's like talking to a brick wall, only that the brick wall still mocks you, even if you don't notice..."**

This...is the bastard. I call him "bastard" because he is. But his real name is Glid. Bear it with me, he's an asshole.

"_Will you stop already? Look, we are inside a strange vehicle, survived a long fall and now, we are surrounded by flames. Can't we at least focus on that?"_

I know, Kraid... But I can just let the bastard do as he pleases. I know that you're like my voice of reason in some cases, but seriously, I'm not in the mood.

BOOM!

Crap, I don't have time for this...

I looked around and found the door. Great, now let's get outta of...

HISS!

Hot! It's hot! *blow hand*

...Oh great. Just my luck. Even the handle is burning...

"Well then... Guess I have no choice."

I took out Kraid (he's a bokuto by the way, haven't I said that before?) in order to cut the door. Don't be fooled by appearances, even if Kraid is a bokuto (of which wood, I'll never know...) he's really sharp.

SLICE!

...Sharp enough to cut this metal door.

BOOM!

I rolled forward to avoid the flames that were about to consume me.

"Oof!"

But since my luck is horrible, I landed horribly as I tumbled like a ragdoll, finally stopping and landing in the metallic floor...which is...soft?

...Wait a minute... Female voice who got cut off? The fact that my hand is touching something soft and...squishy? Oh no...

I quickly retracted my hand from the danger zone and stood back, waiting for the imminent catastrophe...which didn't come...Huh?

"...She unconscious? Phew! That was a close call..."

But why is she unconscious?

I turned around...Ah! There was a metal pipe near. Thankfully, she isn't bleeding so I suppose it wasn't so serious.

"_Try waking her up." _Kraid suggested. "_This place might go boom in any second. Quick!"_

**"Why should we care? Look, the girl's problems aren't our problems."**

That's what I thought several years ago. At first, I didn't care about anybody...not even me. But then...I met her...

...Gah, there's no time to be lost on the past...

"Hey, hey!" I said while gently tapping her cheek with my hand. "If you don't want to die, I suggest you wake up."

"*mumble* Mmm..."

"**Why don't you just punch her? That'll be quicker."**

"I don't think that's the right action..."

CREAK!

Oh crap...This place is tearing itself apart!

...

...Forgive me.

PUNCH!

"Gyah!" the girl woke up almost instantly. "Wha...? W-who are you?"

"No time to explain." I said, while looking for the exit. Damn, the smoke doesn't help.

BOOM!

Goddammit!

"Aahh!" the girl whimpered as she stepped back from the flames with fear.

She wore some sort of blue uniform, complete with a blue beret. I know this is a wild guess, but I think she's a ranked officer or something like that. I better think that later. First, to get out of this inferno. Damn...the oxygen is quickly depleting. I'm practically panting now.

"Hey, is there a window here?"

"Eh? N-no... These airships were designed to pass through clouds of concentrated seithr, so there are no windows..."

Seithr? The hell's that? Nevermind...

"**Then we'll make our own exit!"** Glid said excited, surprising the girl, which didn't know where the voice was coming from.

"What was...?"

"Details later!" I cut her off, not literally. "Okay bastard, I'll follow your ideas for once!"

I took one of my spell cards...or should I say, one of Glid's spell cards... I wish they still work in this kind of place.

"Shred "Chains of War"!" I declared as I passed the spell card over Kraid.

The girl was surprised to see the bokuto change to a chainsword, of all things.

"_What is that? Some sort of Nox Nyctores?"_

I jumped towards the target wall. I stabbed it with the chainsword and started cutting.

WRRR!

Even though the noise was loud, I was still cutting through the wall. I am almost done...

Hold on...we're on a high altitude vehicle... Should there be air pressure?

FWOOMMMM!

"OH CRAP!" I yelled while grabbing from the edges of the hole I just made just in time as the air fiercely came out of the airship.

The girl was frantic. She was completely paralyzed in fear now. To her horror (and mine), I saw that her small body was being pulled out by the change of air.

*grunt*

CLENCH!

I managed to grab her arm before it was too late. Seriously, I don't like this situation at all.

"**Hey, look down below!"**

Begrudginly, I did. Oh God...

We were just meters away from a port, but the problem is that we were in a blazing giant airship of doom. I going to hate myself for this but...

"BANZAI!" I jumped **off** the airship.

"Eh? ! Wh-what are you doing? !"

I ignored the scared screams of the girl and tried to balance us towards the port.

"Aahh! We're going to die!"

"**Will you shut up already? ! God, you're too annoying!"**

**"***sob* *sob*"

"Ouch. Be more gentle, bastard."

The wind is chilly. Also, I can barely open my eyes due to the change of pressure. Damn you physics!

I looked forward again. Oh crap, I don't think we can make it!

"_Throw her to that stand over there!" _Kraid said.

"What? !"

Before she could say anything, I launched her towards the roof of the tent, somehow saving her life I suppose...

"_But what about you?" - _Kraid asked.

I didn't answer back and started taking out two spell cards...

"Beast X Burn My Dread..." I muttered as I passed the two spellcards over my left arm.

My arm turned purplish black.

"Carnage...CLAW!"

I looked to a near pipe, lodged below the platform of this...port, I suppose.

*grunt*

CLENCH!

I managed to grab myself of the pipe using the Carnage Claw.

"Yes!"

But then, as if God sent me a "Screw you!", the pipe loosened completely because of my weight.

"**Well...this is going to suck."**

CREACK!

"OH CRAAAAAAA-!" I shouted as I fell deep below.

* * *

Episode 2: Screwing things up

* * *

Third's PoV

THUD!

"Uu... eh?" Noel shook her head as she recovered from the throw to the stand. "W-What just happened? I remember someone there...but...who exactly was he?"

She started reminiscing.

"...That sword. Could it have been a Nox Nyctores? I never seen a weapon change like that."

"Hello? Are you Miss Vermillion?"

"Eh?" she turned around to see a man in a suit, complete with a fedora. "Who are you?"

* * *

"...AAAAAAPPP!"

THUD!

*cough* *cough* Oh god...that felt awful...

*sniff* *sniff* ...And I think I arrived to a sewer. Goddammit.

"**Well, at least you can still kill stuff in that state."**

**"**Shut up."

I stood up, trying to figure out where the hell I was. Odd, this doesn't seem like a sewer... It looks more like a lab or something along those lines. I mean, there are pipes with numbers everywhere, there was a valve connected to a pipe leading to the upper floors and...

"**Hate to interrupt your stupid monologue, but I sense something here."**

Huh? Really?

"_He's right. Something...foul is here."_

Then I heard something move behind me. I turned back, but there was nothing there.

"Hey guys, stop with the jokes." I sighed while walking forward. "There's nothing he-..."

"Ho_ in_er_sti_g. A s_an_e po_er co_ _om th_ one."

"What the?"

In an instant, a large...thing jumped out of the darkness, trying to devour me for some reasons.

"**Well...this is new."**

"Mul_ple vo_es? Yo_ mo_ we_ th_ I thou_..."

"What the hell are you?"

"_He just said "Multiple voices? You're more weird than I thought"."_

"I see... Wait, you understand him? !"

"_Why yes!"_ Kraid said surprised. "_...Even though I don't have the slightest idea why."_

"**Then prove yourself useful and tell this goo reject that we are going to obliterate his...ass wherever it should be located!"**

"A fo_. No, ev_ wor_, a bru_."

"...Translation, please?"

" _"A fool. No, even worse, a brute." Yep, I think that's what he...she...it said."_

I can accept fool. But brute...

"**Hey dirtbag!" **Glid shouted from my mind. "**Want me to rip you a new one...if you have even one?"**

"A foo_ ac_on fo_ a fo_. It's us_les_. US_LES_! HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!"

"**Hey! I'm starting to like this guy...thing...whatever!"**

Oh goodie.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Okay...nobody noticed me. That's a good thing."

Ragna the Bloodedge managed to arrive at Kagutsuchi, to his surprise, without unnecessary encounters.

"Seriously, I'm really getting tired of seeing stupid people risking their stupid heads trying to go after me. Doesn't the fact that I managed to kill thousands of NOL soldiers by myself drill inside their heads? Not that I care, but I really don't want to be bothered by either them or some stupid vigilantes.

He sighed as he walked unnoticed through the crowd.

"Also, what the hell was that explosion about?" Ragna said while looking at the remains of an airship that were located in the port. "That thing is completely burned out. Tch. If their equipment is like that, then the Library would probably destroy itself someday."

He muttered something else and decided to move on, missing completely two certains figures talking at the port.

"Now...where's the Library branch in this place?"

* * *

"So you see, anything information regarding the actions of Jin Kisaragi is very valuable, Lieutenant. Don't forget any kind of details."

"I'm sorry!" Noel, for the second time in that conversation, apologized. "But that's all I remember."

"I see..." the man, Hazama, nodded while muttering something that Noel couldn't hear. "Well, if you manage to remember something else, you just have to give me a call."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

"Hmph. I have no time to waste with a kid anyways." Jin sheathed Yukianesa as he left the area he was in.

Big chunks of that airship interrupted his fight with Carl, but he didn't care. The only thing in his mind was finding Ragna. After all, he was "destined" to kill him.

"Besides...what are those engineers doing? An airship that can't even land properly doesn't deserve to even be produced... Someone should just fire all of them."

* * *

"Sis? Where do you think this came from?" Carl talked to his "sister".

"..."

"What's that, sis?" Carl turned around. "You say that we should focus on finding the Azure Grimoire? Why yes! I think we should do that immediately."

However Carl didn't know where to go. Every person he asked up to now treated him as a lost child and didn't listen to his words. Worst of all, those same people still treated her sister as a doll, sometimes infuriating him. However, he keeps his cool enough to get out of there.

"But sis... where do you think we should go?"

"..."

Carl got near Nirvana a little, as if hearing something from her.

"Below? Do you think the Azure Grimoire is there?" Carl asked. "Well, if you think that, then I'll be happy to oblige. Let's go sis!"

* * *

Raim's PoV

It's official. Now I hate bugs.

"KYAAHHAAHAHAHA!"

Would you just SHUT UP? ! Good god that it's not YHVH, your laugh is **really **jarring!

"**Wow. This guy is crazier than I thought. I kinda like him."**

"Glid, this is not the time nor the place."

I was running from that...black blob, and failing at it. Everytime I run to some place, it ends up appearing out of nowhere, trying to rip my face with that yellow claw inside his...its body. Also, why did it have to be a sewer? This place reeks and going up and down through these stairs is really tiring.

I'm starting to hate this place.

"MY INSECTS!"

"Huh?"

FWOOMM!

Whoa! ...Is that a purple beam? More importantly, did he...she...it just turn into a flower? !

"**Okay, this place is officially crazy. More importantly..."** Glid added. "**Why don't you just fight back? The only thing you've done up now is run away like a little girl."**

**"**Just...look at HIM...IT! I have my standards, you bastard!"

"**Oh, then you prefer dying? I never knew..."**

**"**...I hate you so much."

The blob jumped and tried to slash me, but this time, I blocked with Kraid instantly.

"Wha_ is thi_?"

"You know... You're ugly. You're crazy. You can't even speak coherently. And worst of all, you are trying to kill me! Well...sorry to disappoint you, but now I really want to kill you."

"It's fut_. Cons_ yo_. Devou_. DEVOU_. HAHAHAHAHA!"

"_He said "It's futile. Consume you. Devour. DEVOUR. Insert laugh here"."_

I couldn't stand this thing anymore so I tried slashing him. That took it by surprise and forced it to back away. Then...he disappeared?

"Behi_ yo_, im_cile. ("Behind you, imbecile.")"

BAM!

When the hell did it got behind me? !

"**It can teleport? ! That's cheap!"**

"Dammit... how do I fight this thing? ! I'm used to fight cute girls firing lasers and bullets at me, but this is just completely different!"

Thinking fast, I jumped to a big pipe near the metal platform I was. The thing, this time had to jump. Perfect.

"Beast "Punishment Claws"!" I declared, taking out a spell card.

Six lasers appeared around me, three on each side. I swinged Kraid towards its direction, making the lasers head towards it. To my surprise, it raised some sort of white barrier that protected it from the front. To counter that, I flicked Kraid in an arc, making the lasers **go behind it **for massive damage.

"GAAH!" it roared as the lasers hit it. However, it didn't stopped it to reach the pipe. Now what?"

"**Kick it in the nads!"**

"I don't think it has those things!"

"**...Then I'm out of ideas."**

"Great. Thanks for the help, you bastard. I **really **appreciate it."

SLASH!

"Goddammit, would you just stay still for a second? !"

This thing can even teleport in the middle of the freaking air! What, why did it really a cloud of insects? These are completely...

"SKEEAAAHH!" it yelled as it transformed into a...thing that crawled. The impact sent me flying towards the cloud.

I'll be honest. It felt horrible.

"Shit!" I cursed. "And what the hell are these circles for?"

Some white circles just appeared around me after that strange cloud hit me (with disgusting results). I wonder what this...

"_Kid, duck!"_

By instinct, I obeyed his warning. A small...piranha flying plant thingy zoomed over me. The blob jumped once again, but this time it stop middair and did a dive while "teeth" forming in the front.

Sadly, I didn't notice another plant-or-insect thing just by my legs. It made me trip and the attack him me square in the chest. Oww...

"Tch! Bastard!" I managed to kick it off me, before something else happened.

The insects stopped appearing when I hit the thing. Apparently, the insects only attack when he's on the offensive...or so I think.

Guess I shouldn't let it attack them.

"HYAHAH...!"

PUNCH!

I punch it in its...face I suppose. That white mask isn't that convincing. It stumbled back over the pipe, but then got back up. The white circles are still around me, so I'm still in danger here.

"BEES!" it roared, sending more clouds at me. But that also made the insects active.

That does it. I'm tired of this guy!

"Enough!"

In a fit of rage, I grabbed the nearest insect I could grab, surprising the blob and making the insects back off. Then, in a moment of brilliance, I took out another spell card.

"Burn My Dread "Great Fire of Meireiki"!"

My arms lit on black fire, charring the insect also in said fire.

...It smelled horrible.

"Wha_ th_? !"

"Hmm... it lacks something... Oh! I know!"

GRAB!

I grabbed another insect, setting it aflare too. Now there's double the smell. I envy the blob now, not having a nose and all of that...

"Try eating THIS for a change!"

I started throwing the insects at the blob. He dodged one and blocked the other.

But I'm not done here.

I grabbed all the insects I could and turned them into my personal flammable ammo. ALL of them.

"Thi_ loo_ ba_... ("This looks bad...")"

"RRAAGH!"

I threw insect after insect in succession. It blocked again, but somehow, the shield broke down. It seems it has its limits too...

**"Go for the kill kid!"**

"Right!" I dashed forward, right after throwing the last flaring insect towards the blob with Kraid in hand. "Take th-!"

Before I could do anything, the blob **spat **something at me, stopping me in middair.

"Gah!"

THUD!

While I was struggling to remove the thing, I noticed the blob was backing away, maybe noticing the danger it was in.

"I und_stim_ed hi_. ("I underestimated him.")"

Finally, I removed...or burned the thing to finally notice the blob was gone.

"...*sigh* Finally! That was harder than I thought! But seriously, what was that thing?"

"_I think you should just look for the exit, kid."_

"Okay... Hm?"

There was a metal ladder leading upstairs, a slight glimmer of light coming from the top.

"Guys...I see our exit."

* * *

"Toh!"

Bang "not the hero of this story" Shishigami landed on the middle of the Kagutsuchi airport. Being the "hero" he is, he was worried if any civilians were harmed by the fall of said aircraft.

"Huh. It seems nobody got hurt by this airship. Thank goodness. Huh?"

Bang looked at a small charred plate that fell from the airship. In it, the NOL's insignia was still recognisable. Bang didn't like it.

"But of course! The foul library could only commit such an act as this. When are they going to learn that evil will never reign as long as I, Bang Shishigami, remains alive!"

Huh...the airship has only the insignia. That isn't proof that the NOL actually **had** anything to do with the accident.

"Which reminds me... My fellow ninja have told me that that villain Jin Kisaragi was seen in Kagutsuchi! Problem is, I don't know where he is."

Bang sat down on the floor, almost as if meditating. But I know better, he's only thinking.

*grumble*

"Eh?" Bang noticed that his stomach just grumbled. "Oh ho ho... I forgot I didn't eat anything this morning. Well, that settles it! Jin Kisaragi can wait. For now, I must regain my strength by eating!"

Bang stood up immediately, as if a man just discovered the meaning of life.

"To Orient Town!"

You know you don't need to yell where are you going, do you?

* * *

"Uh... now where am I?" Noel lamented as she walked through the crowd.

Some people recognised her NOL uniform. Bad news was, the NOL wasn't so "popular" with the citizens of Kagutsuchi. She didn't seem to understand why people looked at her like that, as if they hated her only because of being part of the NOL.

It didn't seem fair.

"*sigh* I wonder if someone in this restaurant knows where the Mayor is..."

Uh...with that attitude? I think they are going to mock you instead...

"Toh!"

Noel shrieked as a tall and scruffy man landed in a very loud and exaggerated fashion.

"I, Bang Shishigami, have finally arrived!"

Dude, you don't need to announce that!

"Eh? W-Who are you?"

"Hah! It is only polite to tell your name before asking others! I am BANG SHISHIGAMI! The defender of love and justice!"

Noel cringed. Her ears weren't used to that kind of loudness.

"Uhh..."

"What's wrong, young man? You seem distracted. Wait...that uniform! Ah, you're with the treacherous library!" Bang said, apparently just noticing the clothes Noel was wearing **after landing next to her and introducing himself.** Man, what an idiot.

"Wait, that's...wait, did you just called me "young man"?"

"Hm? Yes, what of it?"

Big mistake.

* * *

"Shit...I forgot. I haven't eaten anything during the trip...well, that's if I don't count that roasted bird, but it felt just like a snack." Ragna grumbled to himself as he walked silently through the crowd."

*grumble*

"*sigh* Guess I'll have to ask. I just hope nobody is stupid enough to face me. Still, everything is going smooth for now."

Ragna looked up to the sky. Up in the hills, he could manage to see the NOL branch of Kagutsuchi, sitting on top of the city like a king using his peasants as chairs.

"Why do they build them in the highest place possible? Either they have a superiority complex or are just assholes."

* * *

"Nothing here too..." Jin said, walking through the other side of the slums, far away from the actual position of Ragna. "What a waste of time."

He had looked through the upper layers for him, but now, he decided to search the lower levels, in hopes of finding him. He had some unearthly drive to find him.

"This "Ragna the Bloodedge"... it must be HIM! I know it."

His reminisced about his life in the orphanage, his life with his brother...and the small pest.

"I must find him...I'm the only one who can kill him!"

Dude, find a psychologist.

* * *

Raim's PoV

"*sniff* *sniff* This reeks! Why would someone make a ladder that goes all the way up to the surface without having enough ventilation around here? !"

"**Well, you chose this way. Blame yourself, kid."**

*sigh*

"_How much longer, though? It had been, like, five minutes?"_

And counting. Seriously, the people who are in charge of this place must be assholes.

"Revolver Blast!"

Huh? The hell was that?

"This is an ukemi!"

...Why would someone say that?

"**Climb faster. I smell a fight..."**

Okay, you're creeping me out now.

"Air tech!"

...Okay, now I know there's an idiot fighting up there.

"**Come on. Climb faster dammit!"**

"Fine! I'll do it. Just shut up will ya? !"

* * *

"Blue Trigger!" Noel shouted as she propelled Bang towards a wall.

"Oof! " Bang grunted as he crashed into a wall. "Ha! Is that the best a member of the Library can do? ! You disappoint me, young man!"

"I'm not a boy! Can you see I have these? !"

"...What?" Bang said while noticing his mistake. "I'm sorry, I, Bang Shishigami, didn't notice. You see, your bosom was rather...modest, so I didn't knew you were a young lady."

"M-Modest? ! Are you telling me I'm flat? !"

"What?"

There's stupidity...but this is just too much.

"Optic Barrel!" Noel pulled the trigger of her Nox Nyctores, Bolverk and released some sort of projectile which made some sort of emblem appear in front of Bang, which exploded in contact.

"Argh!"

"I told you already...I'm. Not. A boy!" Noel said angrily, but her tone of voice showed she was more...ashamed.

"_This is odd...I don't sense any killing intent for this young girl... It's like she isn't even there..."_

_"Um...did I shoot him too hard perhaps?"_ Noel wasn't this violent, but that ninja just pressed the berserk button. "Excuse me, are you okay?"

"A member of the Library...apologizing? Well, there is a first for everything."

CREAK!

"Eh?"

* * *

Raim's PoV

"Finally! Air! Oh, sweet fresh air!"

"**Get a grip on, kid. Besides, what exactly are we going to do now?"**

**"**Frankly, I don't know. That stupid wormhole opened up here and I really don't know shit where am I supposed to go now in order to go back. Seriously, it's really frustrating."

"_Well, apparently everyone here speaks japanese luckily..." _Kraid commented. "_Also, people here wear really strange clothes."_

_"_Hm?" I looked around. Kraid's right. By the looks of it, that girl is wearing some sort of police uniform, but it looks more like a fetish fuel kind of uniform... The other guy...well, it looked like a fusion of a Kamen Rider with the clothes of a Naruto ninja. Not a real ninja! A Naruto ninja! That's even worse... "Am I interrupting something?"

"D-Did you just come out of the sewer?" the girl commented. "*sniff* Ew, it reeks!"

Hey, don't blame me. Blame this place's ventilation system.

"Ha! Even the sewers show how dirty the NOL really is! No matter, cause I, BANG SHISHIGAMI will..."

"**Hey, ninja freak, shut the hell up, will ya? I can't really stand you freaking voice."**

I facepalmed while the other two looked at me with shock. You know, these are the moments I wish I was transparent.

"W-What was that?" the girl cringed.

"Wait a minute...I sense two beings...no, three beings in your body. What exactly are you?"

"*sigh* Just a human. Let's leave it at that. "I answered back."

"**Man, that guy looks like an idiot. No wait, he IS an idiot. Just look at him!"**

"There's no doubt. That's the voice of a fiend! Ah, I really feel sorry for this poor soul..."

"Uh, no, I'm ok-"

"Well, no matter, cause I, BANG SHISHIGAMI..."

"Would you mind listening to me...?" I tried to make him listen to me. I am failing miserably.

"...will purge that evil presence from your body with my fists of love and justice."

...

...This guy is high.

"Hey, girl, is he always like this?" I asked.

"I don't even know him!" she protested.

"**Well, we have a ninja I hate even worse than Naruto and a useless girl. Great, this place is already feeling suckish."**

The word "useless" seemed to make the girl recall something...or someone? I don't know.

"...Please don't call me that."

"...Fine fine." I ignored her, now focusing attention on...Bang, was it? "Look, pal, even if this guy on my head is really obnoxious, I don't think I need you to help me deal with-"

"CHESTO!"

PUNCH!

Bang's fist was surrounded in fire as it hit me right in the head. The recoil sent me flying to a nearby wall of a restaurant.

"Argh!"

"**Son of a bitch! Kid, let me out this instant. I'll rip his freaking intestines off!"**

"Not a chance." I stood up, now dodging a kick to the wall. He's not as fast as I thought, but he's not slow either. I countered with a diagonal slash with Kraid, but he blocked it with his arms. I jumped back and climbed up to the roof of the restaurant.

"Hey! You can't do that! That's against the rules of the NOL!"

Screw the rules, I have a ninja to pound and/or maim.

"Shishigami Ninpo! Magnificent Bang Jump!"

Bang jumped to the roof in a single bound...but because I expected him to jump, I was ready with an axe kick to the head. It hit, but Bang recovered in mid-air along with saying "Air tech!". Seriously, if you call all your attacks, your opponent will predict each and every one of your moves.

"*pant* *pant* Not bad, for a fiend." Bang complimented me...even though he got the wrong idea.

"I'm still me... can't you get a simple difference? !"

"Of course! A fiend like you attacks sneakily, without shouting the name of their special attacks!"

"Okay, why the hell would someone do that? !" I protested. "It looks cool in some cases, I accept that, but repeatedly, it just looks silly. It makes your throat ache, it consumes energy and worse of all, it gives up the element of surprise."

"A fiend such as you can't understand the true meaning of fighting!"

Screw this. I'm really getting pissed just by looking at him. I took out one of my spell cards out of the Sekai Rei. "Unleash "Red Speed"!"

After crushing the spell card, my feet were surrounded in a red aura. Bang raised an eyebrow, just before I tried to slash his body.

"Argh!" Bang cried as I managed to hit, but I didn't draw blood. I'm not a killer. Besides, you can hardly kill with a bokuto.

CRASH!

...Also, I crashed through a store's window because I can't control my momentum in mid-air. Reimu has it easy...

"...Ow." I clutched my head as I rose up from the debris... It seems this is some sort of antiques shop.

"Shuriken Special!"

To my surprise, a flurry of **nails** flew through the window. I jumped out immediately...only to receive a burning fist to the face.

Okay...he may not be a complete idiot as I thought...unlike an ice fairy I know...

"Please stop!" the girl tried to stop both of us, but we ignored her. "Why don't people listen to me?"

Tough luck, girl.

"Tch. Heh, is that all?" I taunted.

"Not at all! Now, you will witness my super special technique."

...Please stop with the hamming. And why are you moving your arms like...

**_BANG BANG BANG BAAAANG!_**

**_BANGUU DAMASHI!_**

**_TATAKAU KOKORO KOGETSU HODO NI!_**

For illogical reasons, my headphones started blaring with this weird song out of nowhere. And since the ear is related with balance, having my ear bombarded by this...song isn't really helping.

In other words, the song is harming me!

_**BANG BANG BANG BAAAANG!**_

_**BANGUU DAMASHI!**_

_**KIENAI HONOU YAMA KUDAKU HODO NI!**_

"Super Gigantic Attack!" Bang shouted...or so I think. The song isn't making me hear well. Instantly, I felt several burn marks in my chest as I was thrown backwards, crashing against the wall of a grocery story, shattering its foundations.

**_SHINJIRU KOKORO, KAYAGAKU TAIYOU,_**

**_ATSUKU MOEAGARE!_**

**_HIKARI WO KOETA RYU TO NARE!_**

**_BURNING BAANG!_**

Jesus, my ears!

"...**Why don't you just take them off?"** the bastard pointed out my own stupidity.

"...Right." I vanished the headphones into Sekai Rei.

**_BANG, BANG, BANG BANG BANG-BANG!_**

**_BANG, BANG, BANG BANG BANG-BANG!_**

**_BANG, BANG, BANG BANG BANG-BANG!_**

**_BANG, BANG, BANG BANG BANG-BANG!_**

Sweet good god, even inside Sekai Rei? ! This is crazy!

"_Kid, duck!"_

I moved out of the way as Bang kicked the wall behind me. He's insanely faster now and a strange golden glow surrounded his body. Has he gone super saiyan? ! What the hell is going on? !

"To rid this world from evil...!" Bang dashed towards me. Maybe...

I sidestepped and stretched my leg, tripping Bang towards another building. I see, he's fast, but he has the same problem as me. He can't control fully his speed...

...Huh? Hey, that stopped the song! Thank god that it's not YHVH! It was really getting irritating!

"S-Stop in this instant! You're wrecking this district with your irresponsible fighting!" the girl protested, running while waving her arms as a warning. I wonder how a frail body like her can carry those big revolvers... Maybe I shouldn't think too much about this. This place is filled with freaks...

And yes, this place **is **getting wrecked. Some people were shouting at us to stop and some other guards with a similiar uniform like the girl appeared to calm the mob and to try to stop us.

"**Tch. Lawful bastards..."**

"Don't move!" some of the other officers ordered me, pointing their weapons towards me." We, members of the Novus Orbis Librarium won't stand for your actions of chaos. You're accused of arson, attempt of murder and possibly jaywalking!

"Well that's peachy. What's next? You're gonna tell us your personal life? !" I said, mocking their authority.

"Impudent brat!"

Somehow, insulting the authority makes me feel...good. Maybe because I don't like being ordered.

"H-How can you say that? ! That's too horrible!" the girl said, shocked of the words I used.

"Lieutenant Noel Vermillion? What are you doing here?" one of the guards said.

"Wait, lieutenant? That vulnerable looking girl is a lieutenant? ! Okay, you're not stupid, you're freaking retarded! How can you let someone so...fragile be a lieutenant? !"

"W-Wha-?"

I suddenly regretted that.

"I'm not retarded!" the girl, Noel, cried out as she took...okay, where did that machine gun come from? !

What now? Behind me there was bunch of mooks...I mean, officers? I don't know... And to the other side, this Noel girl pulled out a really big gun out of nowhere, and I could swear I heard the inner mechanism whir. Okay, think. Think!

There's a gas task (or I think it's a gas tank...) to the right, lodged to the wall of a store. I could create a distraction with it, but if I move, I'll be filled with lead... I need a decoy.

"Ugh...that was a low blow, you demon..."

...I found my ticket out of here.

"**Your thinking is getting better, kid."**

I picked up Bang and threw it in the way of Noel's BFG, saving my ass and buying me sometime. I felt a little sorry as Bang was blasted by the barrage of bullets, but meh, everyone lives for themselves. Besides, he's no friend of mine.

"Fire!"

"Burn My Dread "Great Fire of Meireiki"!" I crushed the black spell card, while dodging the bullet fire of the other soldiers. Then, when I got an opening due to them having to reload, I shot a black fireball towards the tank.

BOOM!

* * *

Third's PoV

*rumble*

"What the hell was that? !" Ragna stopped abruptly. He turned around to see a seithr cloud expanding not so far from where he was. "Seithr? Here? ! Okay, this is officially getting weird. First, an airship falls for no reason, then this!"

He then noticed a small troop of NOL soldiers heading towards the center of the problem.

"...Although now that I think of it, this is the perfect chance to sneak inside the Library branch here in Kagutsuchi..."

*grumble*

"...But then again, if I don't eat something quick, then I'll be unable to fight well when I find it... Ah, screw it! I'm going to take a nap somewhere first."

He then continued walking, towards the monorail, all while thinking what exactly happened out there.


	3. Never mess with the Death God

"Hmm?" Tager stopped walking as he sensed the earth rumble. "What in the world was that?"

"_Hm?" _Kokonoe seemed less than interested. _"Apparently, some jackass blew up a seithr tank near Orient Town. The Library is taking care of that shit by now, which means you should just focus on your mission, Tager."_

"Roger." Tager said.

He had set one of the devices already. However, a member of the Kaka clan almost tried to, to Tager's surprise, eat it. Although he managed to fend her off, the thought of someone actually trying to eat that was still on his mind.

"_Your mental activity spiked again. Tager, what have I told you about thinking shit?"_

"It's nothing. Procceding with the mission."

Tager continued walking, ignoring the comments and uneasiness of the residents as they saw his giant red frame walk towards the monorail, the next location.

* * *

Raim's PoV

*cough* *cough*

Okay...bad idea is a bad idea. I only wanted a distraction, not a goddamn terrorist bomb. *sigh*

I looked around. Those blue uniformed assholes are unconscious, along with Noel and Bang. I don't know why, but the strange air surrounding me isn't affecting me. Is it just like the miasma back in Makai?

"**Stop monologing and do something useful...like killing all survivors! That always makes my day."**

"No dice." I grumbled, standing up from the debris of the store. "I'm not going to be treated as a criminal. Besides, the only thing I want now is to get out of here!"

"**Meh. Suit yourself."**

Okay...let's see. First things first. Get out of this cloud.

...

...I wonder...Should I leave those two here?

"_I'm not sure. But **you **started this mess. Might as well be responsible in some way."_

"I suppose."

...After all, the girl is a complete wreck as a law enforcer and Bang helped acting as my "shield". *sigh*

"Hang on." I said to both of them, while still unconscious. "I'll get both of you out of here..."

It was easy to pick up Noel. The problem was Bang...

"*grunt* Why am I doing this again?" I said while walking slowly out of the cloud made out of...seithr, was it? Yeah, seithr.

"**You could just leave them here and run."**

"Or I could ignore you and piss you off."

"**Grr..."**

* * *

Episode 3: Never mess with the Death God

* * *

Third's PoV

It wasn't a long walk as Tager expected. When he arrived, he entered his data banks to search the exact location of where the device was needed to be located.

"Hmm...I guess this is the place." Tager said as he moved towards the location.

Setting up the devide wasn't as hard as it seemed. The problem was for people not to notice it, so they won't tamper the equipment. It **was **delicate after all...or so Kokonoe told him.

"This is Tager. The second device has being set."

"_Great great. Now move your ass faster! We don't have all day, you know!"_

He nodded and prepared to move again, when...

"Wait, is that...?"

Lying atop one of the structures of the monorail, Ragna the Bloodedge was in deep sleep.

"Kokonoe, I think I found the Azure."

"_Wait, what? Tager, this is no time for jokes."_

"I'm serious. He's right there. I'll open the link for you to see."

A small beep echoed through the area. Kokonoe's image appeared next to Tager.

"_Well, I'll be damned! That's the Death God, alright."_

"What do I do, Kokonoe? Do I proceed with the mission or...?"

"_Have you lost half of your brain? ! This is the perfect chance to seize the Azure...or the fake, at least."_

_"_Understood. Now moving close to target."

"_Do you have to repeat all of the crap that you do! ? Just go already!"_

Tager walked forward. He asked himself why would the Death God risk sleeping over one of the hangers, almost at plain sight. It seemed like he didn't care about being spotted...or was just bad at planning. But still...

"How am I supposed to climb that?"

"_Oh, that? Hang on a sec..."_

Tager could swear he heard Kokonoe click something. His worries were confirmed as his feet started shaking.

"What? Kokonoe! What did you install this time?"

"_Ah, quit your bitching, Tager. It's just a movement upgrade I managed to cook up after your last mission. Besides, it also helps your Genesic Emerald Tager Buster a bit, so stop complaining already!"_

Tager couldn't believe that Kokonoe gave him **something** useful and not silly for once. Was he hallucinating?

A small "WHIIIIIRR..." came from Tager's feet. When it ceased...

"_Alright Tager. Time for a test run. Try jumping towards Ragna the Bloodedge now."_

"Wait, you haven't test it yet? !"

"_You're the tester."_

"...Roger." Tager said, but if you paid attention, you could notice hints of doubt in his voice. Who won't doubt her? She's a crazy bitch.

Tager braced himself for the worst possible scenario as he jumped with all his might.

FWOOOOSH!

To Tager's and **my** surprise, the enhancement actually worked!

SLAM!

And he landed safely...albeit he did gave up a loud sound when metal crashed into metal.

"_So, how was it? Happy with your toy now?"_

_"_Amazing! I can't believe you actually made something u-...nique. Yeah." Tager was smart enough to safe that last remark for himself. If he messed out that, he wouldn't dare to imagine what would Kokonoe do with his body.

"_...What were you implying?"_

"Nothing." Tager kept a poker face. "Do I bring Ragna the Bloodedge completely or..."

"_The only thing interesting about this son of a bitch is the Azure. A little yank from your arms should be enough to snap it...After you retrieve it, dispose of him. Wouldn't want him to take it back, won't you?"_

To most other people, that may have sounded cruel. But for Tager...orders are orders.

"...Understood." Tager said as he approached Ragna. "I have nothing against you, but orders are orders. My apologies."

* * *

Raim's PoV

*pant* *pant* Even if I'm not as affected by that cloud as I thought, it kinda makes my body feel numb...

"_Hey, kid. Look there."_

I looked up. There was a small clinic crossing the bridge. How did I know it was a clinic? It's blatantly obvious when the word "Clinic" is written over the building...

"Finally! I was getting tired by carrying two bodies at the same time. Besides, I feel like shit. Really, what I want is to rest..."

* * *

"Hello! May I...Ah! W-What happened?" a girl wearing a quipao said, surprised as I entered with both Noel and Bang on my back and right arm respectively.

"You. Help. NOW." I didn't ask nicely.

The girl snapped back to earth and helped make two beds for Noel and Bang.

...My head's dizzy. Guess this is the aftermath of that strange cloud. Still, I'm fine...kind of.

"_You better take care of yourself, kid." _Kraid said.

"What? Where did that voice come from? !" the girl said almost dropping the medicines she brought.

"**Great. More freaking girls that whine every second. Can we kill this one?"**

*facepalm*

"What? W-Who are you?" the girl panicked.

"_Oh goodie. _Look, it's not what you think. Let me explain!"

* * *

"...So you're telling me you came through a dimensional...thing and landed on an airship, causing it to crash, fought a black blob thing on your way and finally, you got into a fight with a ninja from Ikaruga and a member from the NOL...all in one day?"

"That pretty much sums it up."

"*sigh*...Do you take me for an idiot?"

...That's my cue to leave...

"Wait! I didn't mean to insult you! It's just that it's just too crazy and weird to believe."

Crazy AND weird? For good god's sake, women! You have a freaking Kamen Rider ninja and a (perhaps...) eighteen year old girl on this NOL military thing! Besides, I think I saw several animal people while walking here. And you call my story WEIRD? !

"...Whatever. It seems you can't help me. Tch, I wasted my time here. When those two wake up, tell them they just...hallucinated or something." I grumbled as I walked outside.

"Hey. You're not going to pay for their tre-"

I slammed the door.

* * *

_The image of a church burning, with its walls crumbling was in front of a young Ragna's view. While suppressing his emotions, he searched the area._

_He managed to see the silouette of a girl, his little sister. With relief, he ran towards her._

_"Hey! Are you okay? ! Wake up!" he shook the girl gently._

_"Ugh...ugh..." the small girl coughed._

_"Thank God...you're alive..." he let out a relieved sigh. "Damn, where the hell are Jin and the old hag? Shit, what the hell's going on? !"_

_"Ragna..." a voice came from behind._

_Ragna unconsciously turned around._

_"Jin? Where the hell were you? What happened? !"_

_"Hahaha..."_

_"Jin? What's wr-?"_

_SLASH!_

_Ragna could've sworn that something wasn't right in that exact moment. He felt...lighter, but in a completely different and horrible way. Something fell to the ground. One glance at it was enough for Ragna to understand what just happened, but his mind couldn't process the complete thought._

_Then, as the right side of his body burned in pain, he came to realize what just happened._

_"AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHH! MY ARM! YOU CUT MY ARM!"_

_The simple pain of a lost limb can drive a man crazy. However, Ragna somehow maintained his composure enough to see, or try to remember, the next events..._

_That laugh...of that man...grated his ears. At first he couldn't understand what happened due to it all happening so fast. But when he stopped to reflect, the confusion turned into something else..._

_Rage._

_"Jin...JIIIIN!"_

* * *

"Alright, beginning the extrac-"

"JIIIIIN!" Ragna yelled as he woke up abruptly, blocking Tager's massive hand with his fake arm, the Azure itself. The rage that Ragna felt because of the dream made his arm become surrounded by black energy, which managed to knock Tager back several meters away.

"*pant* *pant* That goddamn dream again...Shit, I wish they'd knock it off already." Ragna clutched his head as he stood up.

It was in that moment that he noticed the Red Devil of Sector Seven.

"Wait, what the hell? Sector Seven? Tch, why the hell does everyone keep chasing me?"

...Because you've the highest bounty in this world?

"Damn! He woke up!" Tager stood up. "Well, so much for things going smoothly."

"Hey, Red Devil!" Ragna shouted at him, with his Blood Scythe drawn. "You really, **really** got me in the worst mood possible. If you appreciate your goddamn life, I suggest that you go away. Now."

To say that Ragna was pissed would be an understatement.

"Kokonoe..." Tager whispered through his communicator. "Should I pursue the objective or..."

Static. Apparently, there was interference. Tager sighed at his bad luck. But then, he decided by himself what he should do.

"I started it, I guess I should finish it." Tager prepared for battle. "Prepare yourself, Ragna the Bloodedge!"

"Gauntlet Hades!" Ragna roared as his arm was surrounded by darkness. The overhead blow was blocked by Tager's massive arms, but he had to admit, a direct hit would be too dangerous for his internal system.

Tager saw his surroundings. Several metal pipes were dispersed around them and some of the walls were made of metal. How lucky for him! He couldn't help but to smirk at the situation.

"What's so funny?"

"Ragna the Bloodedge, you're really unlucky to be fighting me in this kind of terrain."

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"

Tager activated his magnets. Two of the pipes on the floor flew directly towards his hands. Ragna lost his patience and decided to rush against Tager. Big mistake.

"Take this!"

He reversed the polarity of his magnets, repelling the pipes towards Ragna. He managed to dodge one and barely blocked the second one.

"SPARK BOLT!"

A small sphere of condensed lightning flew at an alarming speed against Ragna. However, his reflexes were fast enough to block the Spark Bolt too. Tager smirked at this.

"Now I got you where I want to, Death God!"

"Huh?" Ragna said, while suddenly noticing the sparks in his blade.

"BEHOLD THE POWER OF MAGNETISM!"

Tager activated once again his magnets, now targeting Ragna's sword. Tager's slow, alright. But he has learned to compensate that with using the terrain at his advantage and precise calculating.

"Shit! What kind of bullshit is this? !" Ragna struggled to keep his footing. However, the attraction of Tager's magnet field was too strong.

"I'll ask you once, just forfeit the Azure and make things easier...or face the consequences."

"Heh...and if I say no?"

"...Then you leave me no choice. Without your sword, I calculate your possibilities to win lower to 20 percent."

"Do you think I care about that sort of crap? Fine, if you like so much my sword, take it!"

And with that, Ragna released his sword. Tager was surprised by the change of events while Ragna started running towards Tager.

"HELL'S FANG!"

Since Tager was focused on his magnets, the Hell's Fang hit directly at Tager's chest, along with the follow-up. Albeit the damage was minimal due to Tager's constitution, that gave Ragna time to retrieve Blood Scythe from his hands while embedding it with darkness for an aerial strike. Due to Tager's weight (that is, 550kg), Tager can't maneuver too well in mid-air and landed hardly on the metal floor.

"Tch!" Tager grunted as he stood up. "Sledge Hammer!"

CLANK!

Both attacks canceled each other out, although the recoil made Ragna stumble back a bit. He tried again a Hell's Fang, which Tager managed to block with ease. However, Ragna jumped over Tager's frame and launched a powerful axe kick to his head.

"Ugh!" Tager grunted as he fumbled back by the force.

"What's wrong, tin devil? Tired already? Well, if that's all you got, then I suppose I'll just have to kill you." Ragna said, while rushing towards Tager, holding Blood Scythe in a reverse grip.

"MAGNA TECH WHEEL!" Tager shouted out of the blue.

"Huh?"

Tager thought this well. Ragna seemed to have forgotten the loose pipes and metal support that were around him, so when Tager used the Magna Tech Wheel, every metal object (except the Blood Scythe, since it discharged) circled around Tager as he spinned wildly. Ragna was caught in middle of the sparks and the steel.

CLANK!

"Argh!" Ragna grunted as a small pipe hit him in the back of the head, making him almost fall forward towards the spinning Tager. Ragna, in a moment of brilliance, grabbed the longest pipe he could find and used it as a second sword to attack Tager.

Strike. Strike. Strike once again. The flurry of slashes and stabs started getting faster, forcing Tager to stop. The pipe broke quickly, so Ragna threw it away.

"You're finished, Red Devil!" Ragna dashed, with a Hell's Fang prepared.

"SPARK BOLT!"

"What? !"

The spark bolt intercepted the Hell's Fang...while injuring Ragna's right arm in the process. Even if it wasn't his real arm, he could still feel the pain. Ragna quickly kicked one of the pipes on the ground to distract Tager as he unleashed another Gauntlet Hades towards his head. However, Tager ducked and Ragna hit an air pipe instead. This created a smoke cloud that covered shrouded both Ragna and Tager.

"_Hmm...I got you now, Death God!" _Tager thought as he managed to see Ragna's frame through the smoke.

Tager knew that his Blood Scythe was once again magnetized, so he activated his magnets again. The figure flew straight towards Tager and then, the next happened...

"GENESIC! EMERALD!..." Tager said as he threw Ragna to the sky. He jumped too and grabbed him. "TAGER!...

But he stopped in shock as he saw what he was holding. In his hands, there was a thin barrel wearing Ragna's trademark jacket.

What.

"WHAT? !"

"INFERNO DIVIDER!"

SLASH!

While Tager was still surprised about the sudden revelation, Ragna unleashed an Inferno Divider at Tager in freaking mid-air! Then, he juggled him with an uppercut and finished with a straight punch, strong enough to send Tager flying towards an old and unused hangar. The sound of a loud crash filled Ragna's ears as he landed safely.

"Tch. And stay there, you stupid asshole..." Ragna said as he grabbed and put his jacket back on. "You know, I **could**'ve killed you, but right now, I'm hungry. Consider yourself lucky, tin can..."

And with that, Ragna, while grumbling something, started walking in order to find a restaurant...

* * *

_"Tager! Tager, respond, dammit! What the hell just happened? !"_

"Urgh...Kokonoe? What happened?" Tager said as he struggled to stand up from the debris.

"_Well, looking at the state you are, I pretty much can say that Ragna the Bloodedge just beat you." _Kokonoe spoke as if she didn't care. "_Nevermind the Azure for now. Besides, it wasn't your main mission, wasn't it? Well, yeah, to have a look at the Azure might have helped me a little with the project I'm doing right now, but enough of that crap. How much until your auto-repair unit finishes fixing you up?"_

"Well, according to calculations, I'll take two hours tops."

"_Two hours? ! Can't you hasten the process? ! We don't have all time of the world, you know!"_

"...I'll see what I can do...Tager out."

"_Alright. Just fix your ass already!"_

CLICK!

"*sigh*"

* * *

Raim's PoV

Where the hell am I now?

"**Does it matter? Look, we don't know shit about this YHVH-forsaken place and, to put matters worse, you haven't killed anything yet!**

"Ah, shut up." I moved towards this strange pla- WHOA! Is that the airship? !

No shit. Seriously, was that inside this wrecked deathtrap? Now I'm grateful I managed to get out along with that gir-

...Hold on a second. That was the same girl that almost shot me!

"_Wait wait wait...You're telling me you didn't notice?"_

"Why should I notice? I was in a hurry! Would you watch for details while escaping from a goddamn airship on fire? !"

"_...Point taken."_

Hmph. But so what? That girl Noel is fine now, I guess. That won't solve my problem here. Although...I could ask her what she knows about this place.

On the other hand, she's practically useless. Seeing her performance right there was proof enough.

"Did you hear? Someone created an explosion near Orient Town." some women were gossiping behind me.

Shit...Rumors fly **quick** in this place!

"Yeah. They say it was some sort of foreigner!"

"From another Hierarchical City? Really, punks like him are appearing every day."

"Do you think he's related with Ragna the Bloodedge? I heard he was very foulmouthed too..."

HEY! That's how I am! And who the hell is this Ragna the Bloodedge? Although I have to admit, the title sounds cool...

"Really? I heard the NOL has already posted a bounty on his h-!"

"Okay, what the hell? !" I snapped, surprising the women. "Seriously, I have been dragged to this place against my will, crashed with a goddamn airship, fought some sort of Cthullu black spawn...thingy, being confused for a fiend by some sort of Kamen Rider Ninja along with this strange police force (and Noel) and, to make this even worse, I'm a wanted man! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? !"

"_You **did** blew up the pl-"_

"Oh shut up!"

The women screamed something about "It's him! Somebody stop him!" while escaping from me. While they ran away, a paper flew towards me, coming from the position of those stupid hags. I picked it up.

...

...Okay, I now two more things now. One, the money currency here isn't ryo, which is bad. And two, these guys don't know how to draw shit! Seriously, what the hell is this? That's not even my face!

**"Look at the bright side. They'll confuse you if they're stupid enough.**"

"True, but it's still insulting!" I said while keeping low as some more guards (in blue uniform) ran forward too. Since the image didn't show me with headphones, I took them out of Sekai Rei and put them back on, expecting people to be stupid enough to not notice...

...What? It happens!

"_Hey...look at this." _Kraid said as he moved, pointing at another bounty order.

Still keeping a low profile, I snatched the paper.

...Yes, they **are **bad artists. There's no way a face can be like that.

...

...Can it? Screw it. I have no time for this bullshit...

*grumble*

Okay, where's a damn restaurant when you need it?

"**Well, there was a Chinese one almost near when you blew that place up."**

...Goddammit.

* * *

Alright...what do I know about this place so far? Let's see...

Judging by my surroundings, this NOL is to this whole place as the Empire is to the whole galaxy.

Those conniving Lawful bastards...

Also, through some more eavesdropping, I learned that this place is called the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi...meh, I think Kagutsuchi is a much better name. But the word "Hierarchy"...something tells me that this NOL organization is controlling everything around here...

Also, there has been an uproar because this fellow Ragna the Bloodedge was out there destroying NOL branches. By himself. Actually, that's pretty badass.

I also learned that there was a faction called Sector Seven around here, but it was small gossip. I don't know if it's friend or foe...nor if it could help me get back.

*grumble*

...And my stomach is killing me... Great.

"Are we there yet?"

"**No. And don't you dare repeating that. I'll get you nowhere."**

Shit. There goes my fun.

I kept walking when I noticed the Chinese signposts and a pamphlet with a very delicious menu written on it. *smell* And nice aroma too.

"_Jump!"_

"What?"

I jumped back as a cat...thing crashed to the wall, leaving a dent on it. *snicker* Well, I appreciate a bit of comedic sociopathy any now and then...

"*nom nom nom*"

...Is this thing EATING THE WALL? !

"...*burp* Tao does not like this, meow." the thing said as she detached itself from the wall.

Okay...what the hell are you? Guess there's another freak to the pile...

"*grumble* Tao's hungry..."

Sucks to be you.

"_Hold on, kid. You're hungry too. Maybe she has money and..."_

Ooh, I got your point.

"Excuse me, cat thing?"

"Tao is Taokaka, meow!" the cat thing, Taokaka, answered.

"...Right..."

* * *

Third's PoV

"If I remember right, people said there was a good Chinese restaurant around here..." Ragna said as he walked forward, his red jacket a bit torn. "Dammit, that Red Devil really ruined my jacket. But anyways, I got rid for him, so that's no longer a problem."

He followed the smell of food like a stray dog, not caring if someone spotted him. After all, he didn't care. What really pissed him off was that they got in their way. If they don't meddle in his business, then he wouldn't do anything to them.

But people _never_ learn, do they?

"Hmm?" Ragna stopped as two people were in front of the restaurant. A young man and a really large cat, in Ragna's eyes that is.

"What is money, meow?"

"Ugh, the currency of this place?"

"Nyah? I don't understand what weird guy says."

"Weird guy? I have a name, you know..."

"Yes, and it is weird guy."

"...Spare me." the boy with the headphones facepalmed.

Ragna couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight of that kid grimacing his misfortune. Well, at least they didn't seem to notice him as he walked insi-

THUD!

Forget what I said.

"Whoa! What the hell's wrong with you?" Ragna said as Tao grabbed him by the legs.

"Meow, you must be the good guy the rabbit person was talking about! Give me something to eat, nya!

"Rabbit person?" the young man asked confused.

Ragna stopped to think. There was one "rabbit person" he knew.

"Goddammed rabbit..."

"Meow, I'm hungry! I'm gonna starve to death!"

"That doesn't seem likely. If you can jump like that, then you still have much more energy like that...or something along those lines." the young man commented.

"Yeah, that guy's right. Now, leave me alone!"

"A "good guy" is just gonna turn a blind eye and let me die? I'll haunt you!" Tao said. "Because I swear I will...!"

Ragna didn't felt comfortable with the word "haunt". Haunting is what ghosts do.

"*grumble* If you two are going to eat something, may I join you?" the young man said, his hand in his stomach.

"*groan* All right, all right...! I don't think I want to be haunted today..." Ragna added. "Okay, let's do this. How about the loser buys lunch?"

"Or...since we are three people, we pool in our money and buy something for three?" the young man said. _"I can't afford to fight with my empty stomach. Better eat something first..."_

"...You know, that actually sounds like a good idea, kid." Ragna pondered. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Raim Hanta. Just Raim will be enough." Raim said. "Yours?"

Ragna stopped. He thought if he told his name to Raim, he might try to kill him. After all, he had a bounty on his head.

**"...Wait a goddamn minute... You're that Ragna the Bloodedge guy! Yes, I can smell blood coming from you!"**

"Gah! What the hell was that? !" Ragna shouted.

"Bastard!" Raim yelled while talking to himself, in Ragna's eyes. "Why do you have to interrupt in these moments?"

"Meow?" Taokaka tilted her head sideways "There's another guy in his head? Hello, head guy!"

**"I'm not a head guy!"**

"Could somebody please tell me what the hell going on? Is that a ghost?" Ragna asked, a very slight hint of worry when he said "ghost".

"No! Just ignore this bastard!" Raim shouted. "Look, can we just focus on buying some food, guys? !"

"Meow? Are you sure you're not insane, crazy guy?"

"Oh, now I'm a crazy guy? ! *sigh* What did I do to deserve this kind of shit...?"

Ragna rubbed his eyebrows. This was going to be a looooong day...


	4. It got worse

"Ngh...mmm...huh? Where am I?" Noel said as she rose from the bed she was resting on.

"Oh, you're awake already?" the voice of Linhua passed through the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Umm...fine, I guess." Noel said, looking nervously for something.

"Looking for these?" Linhua said while holding Bolverk with both hands. "I can't believe you carry these. Does every girl from the NOL carry those?"

"Um...n-no. Not really." Noel said while standing up. "Excuse me, would you mind telling me what happened?"

"You're awfully polite to be part of the NOL. I kinda like that." Linhua smiled. "Well, this weird guy came here carrying you and a ninja from Ikaruga. He asked me to prepare some beds. But the weirdest thing was his story."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh well, he basically told me that he came here from another world...or was it dimension? And that also on his way here, he crashed with an airship, fought a black blob in the lowe-"

"Wait! Did you say he crashed into an airship? !"

"Crazy, isn't it?"

Noel started recalling the events of this morning. If what she was saying was correct...

"Um...was he by any chance wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with white shorts?"

"Hmm? Why, yes, he was! Do you know him?"

That proved it. He was the same guy that helped her in the airship. But then, he was also the guy who broke the seithr tank and caused trouble to both the NOL and the citizens...

But...was he the same guy, or was she mistaken? Maybe they looked alike...

"N-no. I don't really know him..." Noel answered.

"Is that so?" Linhua pondered. "Well, anyway, it seems you feel better, am I right?"

"Y-yes. Thank you for taking care from me."

"No problem. After all, it **is** my job."

"_Job, huh?" _Noel thought.

She didn't know what to do. On one hand, she needed to find Major Jin Kisaragi. But on the other hand, he couldn't ignore that guy since he destroyed part of Orient Town (without knowing it, of course). But then, there was the issue that he also saved her life on the airship and again, while bringing that ninja from Ikaruga here.

Morally, would arresting him be the right thing to do? ...However, there was the lingering thought that they weren't the same person...

However, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a stomach growling.

"Eh? ! I-I'm sorry! It's just I didn't eat this morning...!"

"It's okay. I understand." Linhua nodded. "Must be pretty hard to do your job, after all. Hey, I think you should go to the Chinese restaurant not far from here. The food there is really good and usually, the doctor and I go there to relax."

"I see. Would you mind telling me where is it?"

Noel let out a sigh. She was so worried about her duties that she forgot about her well-being... Thinking about the prospect of food, she pushed aside her thoughts for a while, now focusing on eating a good breakfast.

"Yes, I shouldn't worry too much. Besides, what are the odds of finding trouble in a restaurant?"

* * *

Raim's PoV

*sneeze* The hell?

"Hey, crazy guy! Don't sneeze on the food! You'll spoil it!" the cat thing, Taokaka, yelled at me.

"*sigh*" I grumbled, picking up my chopticks. "Could you at least eat with your mouth closed? You're going to choke if you keep eating like that."

"Yeah. I agree with you." Ragna said. "But then again, you can't just ignore good food, right?"

"True." I nodded. "Alright, chow time!"

* * *

Episode 4: It got worse

* * *

...

...

...*gobble* Not bad... not bad at all.

"Ah... I haven't eaten something like this since, hell, forever." Ragna commented.

"Hm? Then how did you survive?"

"Well, being in the run from those bastards forces someone to learn how to cook. Seriously, I can cook about anything that is edible...except perhaps mushrooms."

"Why?"

"...I don't want to talk about it." Ragna said. Well, better not ask then...even though I'm a little curious myself.

"*nom* *nom* *nom* Can I have another dish, good guy?"

"Oh for the love of God, Tao! You have eaten like three dishes by now! Seriously, if you keep eating like this, I won't pay at all." Ragna shouted. People were getting uncomfortable by our presence, but then again, they did nothing to stop us. What a bunch of cowards...

"Mew? ! Don't be so mean, good guy! Tao needs to eat!"

"You know, dealing with an idiot in this way won't get you anywhere, Ragna." I said. "I speak from experience."

"Experience? What, do you know people more stupid than her?"

"...Perhaps just one." I said, the image of Cirno flashing in my head. "She never stays still..."

"Huh? Well, nevermind. Shut up and eat!" Ragna said.

Those words are enough for one to keep eating. But really, the flavor, the texture, the smell...*sniff* Aah... really, this is a hell of a restaurant!

"Really, good food is good food." I commented while finishing my dish.

"Yeah, meow! Especially if it is free!"

"Yeah! There's nothing better than fre-"

...

...Wait, what? What do you mean by that? And why did Ragna stopped ea- oh, you gotta be kidding me...

"Uh...you sure you can pay this?" I asked, somewhat worried.

"What? No no, you got this all wrong. I was just surprised Tao thought like that." Ragna said quickly.

"Meow? But it looked like good guy also thought that too..."

"...Ugh." Ragna gulped.

Oh no...

"Okay, seriously guys, I can only pay my part." I said. "If you can't pay what you just ate, then I'm out of here."

"Hey, you can't do that!" Ragna yelled. "We agreed to pool in our money to pay for all of this!"

"But you didn't really have a penny on you, did you? !"

"Mew? Then what about you, crazy guy?"

...Oh crap.

"M-Me? Oh, I do have money! It's just...

"**Cut the bullshit, kid! You don't have even a penny, except for ryo...and that strange money you pickpocketed back there!"**

"WHAT? !" Ragna is losing his patience. "And you accuse us of being freeloaders? Man, you're such an hypocrite."

Seriously...you're ticking me off.

"Look, let's not talk about that right now, alright? We'll deal with this somehow." I tried to defuse the situation. "Let's just keep eating like before, before someone notices that we don't have money..." I whispered, hinting towards the waitress dangerously next to us.

I wonder how fast we can run...correction, how fast can **I** run.

"...Meow! I want another dish, please!"

There was a collective sigh. Seriously, I'm not doing this again...Although I have to admit, the food is good.

"Now that I think of it, this dish is good, but I think it would be better with the correct spices. You see, if you season this with salt and pepper only, the taste will feel a little dry. However, if you use some herbs from below, seithr-free of course, you'll see that the taste will be better. Not only that, the meat itself will get softer and the smell better.

"..."

"..."

"What. You...you know to cook that good enough?" I babbled. "Seriously? No kidding?"

"Hey, when you spend almost your goddamn life in the run, you **have** to learn how to cook eventually. And you gotta learn it good! Even so, I think cooking is a small hobby of mine."

No shit. I thought you could only cook normal food, but with what you're telling me, you could cook refined dishes...if there's meat on it.

'You shouldn't judge a book by its cover' indeed.

"Meow! That's awesome!"

"You really think so? I don't think that's cool." Ragna commented, finishing this 'Pecking Duck' special. Seriously, who comes with these names?

The rest of the hour we spent up waiting for Tao to finish her 15th dish of today. My good god, what kind of stomach does she have? Anyways, since we had a lot of free time, Ragna and I decided to talk.

"So...exactly who are you? I never seen one wearing clothes like that before."

"Same to you. Man, that jacket seems that was crushed by a metal box or something."

"Yeah...that Red Devil..."

"What?"

"Nothing... Anyways, I ask again, who are you?"

Okay, how to explain this in a way that isn't considered insane? I think I got it this time...

* * *

"*spit*"

I was wrong. Just looking at their reactions, they now think I'm insane. Or worse.

"WHAT THE HELL? ! Do you expect me to believe that sort of crap? ! There's no way in hell that can happen!" Ragna said, slamming the table in both confusion and frustation.

"Wow, meow! You're really a crazy guy!"

"Hey! Don't judge my story like that!" I barked back. "And I'm not crazy!"

"I mean, come on! Other dimensions? ! A place called 'Gensokyo'? What the hell is wrong with you? Also, crashing against an airship, and SURVIVING? ! Wait, don't tell me you are a ghost!" Ragna, for some reason, paralyzed when he said 'ghost'.

"What? NO! I have feet! Feet!" I tried to mark my point. "Get a grip, man!"

"Yes, good guy! Enjoy your food while it is hot!"

"Not now, Tao!" Ragna said. "Okay, let's just suppose that your story might, and I mean_, might_ be true, and let's leave it like that. *sigh* My mind can't take more of this bullshit..."

"Fine then..." I grumbled, annoyed that someone else didn't believe my story.

"Now that I recall, you said that you were ambushed by those Library bastards... Heh, first day here and you're practically disliked by those guys. Now **that **is okay in my book." Ragna seemed to enjoy that someone apart from him caused problems to this Lawful organization. Seems we have at least one thing in common. That, and our preference in swords. I mean, look at that thing!

"Yeah, I agree. For some reason, those guys tick me off. Just look at this piece of crap!"

I took out the horrible attempt of a portrait trying to capture my face. Ragna just laughed.

"Hahaha! Really? That proves it. The Library can't draw shit!"

"I know! Seriously, this really pisses me off!" I said.

"Meow? You're also looking for this guy, crazy guy?" Tao interrupted. "Tao heard that he's an evil man, that burned down some houses, nya!"

You don't say...

"But my mission consists on beating up this Rawrga, meow! Here, take a look!"

And thus, the horrible drawing of Ragna's bounty was left on the table.

"Gah!" Ragna almost choked when Tao waved the poster around. "Tao, put that back!"

"Who's laughing now?"

"Ha ha. Very funny, kid." Ragna deadpanned.

"It's not kid." I said. "Seriously, I think this Library is doing this on purpose to tick guys like us off. I can't help but just hate those guys. Is it the uniform? Perhaps just by being Lawful is enough for me to hate them...Well, except for this strange chick that was...how to say this...pathetic in every sense of the word."

"Really? Heh, what is the Library thinking hiring people like that?"

"Maybe they lost their brains somewhere else...or maybe in a dumpster."

We both laughed at that.

"Mew? *gobble* *slurp* What are good guy and crazy guy talking about, meow?"

"Eh, stuff." I said shortly. "I heard rumors that you took down every Library branch in every Hierarchical City you were in?"

"Well, yeah." Ragna was honest about that. "Bunch of those Library bastards got in my way, though. I really hate when they get in my way."

Slight tone of anger. I get it. I won't ask further.

"*slurp* More please, nya!"

Oh good god...

"Hello! And welcome!" the waitress greeted two figures as they walked forward.

"Why, thank you. I'll just take a seat over there." the shortest figure sa- wait, is that a kid? What's with the top hat? "Come on, sis. We need something to eat before looking again."

"..."

Is that kid dragging that doll? What for? I think he's big enough for not playing with dolls...then again, there's Alice...

The kid and the doll located themselves two tables afar from us. Why do I feel tense? Can you feel the tension, people?

...

...Of course you can't. What am I saying?

"Hey, sis, what do you want to eat?"

"..."

Okay, the kid is a little nuts.

"Really? But you haven't felt very well recently. You sure?"

"..."

I stand corrected. He's not nuts. He's freaking insane.

"Well, if you say so..." the boy sighed as he called for the waitress.

"Psst...hey, Ragna" I asked. "Are people always like that?"

"...This is not the time to ask that." Ragna said, somewhat serious this time. "Don't let the looks fool you. That kid is a vigilante."

"Oh come on!" I looked at the kid. "You're actually telling me that? I think you're a bit paranoid."

"Hey! I'm just telling the truth! Or do I have to rip you a new one to believe me?"

"...Okay. I'll believe you." I don't want to have problems for now. "But still, to let kids be vigilantes at that age?" I asked.

"I ask myself that too. Man, this world is getting more messed up the more time it passes."

Just like back home...only outside Gensokyo.

**"Kid, there's something odd about that piece of junk over there." **the bastard said, referring to the doll. "**It's as it's...alive or something like that."**

"What? You're telling me that thing is sentient?" I asked.

"Sentient? !" Ragna asked, somewhat surprised. "Then, it is a Nox Nyctores?"

"Nox Nyc-what now?" I asked. "What, is that some sort of accessory or what?"

"It's nothing like that, kid. " Ragna said. And stop calling me kid. "It's...kinda hard to explain."

"Which means you don't know..."

"I **do **know! It's just complicated to explain!" Ragna shouted.

Then we both stopped. Someone...no, something was watching us.

"_The hell?" _Kraid asked. "_What is this feeling?"_

**"I suggest you don't turn around if you don't want to alert it."**

Alert what? ! You're not making any s-

"Kid, don't move. That thing is watching us."

What **is **watching us? ! Speak up, dammi-!

"Sis? Is something wrong?"

Oh crap. I get it now.

"Is someone over there bothering you? Or..."

The boy gasped in realization of something.

"Is it the Azure?"

Azure? The hell's that? And why did Ragna look at his arm?

I could hear the rustling of chairs and footsteps as they drew closer. Ragna put his hand over his blade and tightened his grip. The tension increased.

Why do I feel nervous? Is it the kid? The doll? Both? !

"**Calm down. Besides, we can just rip their heads off and run away."**

"Okay, I may be a wanted man, but even I wouldn't go that far." Ragna whispered.

"**Then you lack balls." **Glid countered.

Before Ragna could say anything to counter back and before the creepy boy and his doll almost as creepy as that puppet from the Saw franchise drew near...

"Um...hello?" a voice very familiar to me said, with nervousness. "I-I was recommended to this restaurant. Are there any empty chairs?"

I forced my eyes to the right. There, the frail figure of Noel was talking to the waitress, almost pathetically apologizing every second for no reason at all. Girl has confidence problems...

And why did the boy stopped?

"Miss Noel?" the boy asked.

"Eh? C-Carl? I-Is that you?" Noel apparently was happy to see this boy. "Where have you been?"

I think we are on safe grounds now because the boy, I think his name was Carl, turned around to talk with Noel a little bit. Hey girl, you should really choose who you befriend with more carefully. Didn't the creepy doll alert you of his possible insanity?

And of course, we (that means Ragna and me, Tao was just eating) let out a sigh.

"Phew...a little more and I don't want to imagine what would've happened."

"**What? Infanticide?"**

"NO, you asshole!" I shouted. Many heads turned around, but I kept my composure cool enough for the other customers to shrug what just happened.

"Okay...you are really creeping me out." Ragna commented. "Seriously...you have a goddamn mental problem."

"But at least, I'm sane enough to rant about the Library." I stated.

"True enough." Ragna shrugged.

What now, though? Even if that creepy kid turned around to speak with Noel, I still feel we're not out of the hook yet...Also...

"Hey Ragna. What exactly **is** this Azure?"

Ragna looked at me sternly.

"Why the hell are you asking that?"

"Just curiosity. Since I still haven't found a way out of this place, I might at least ask for something petty. Besides, if I don't start asking like this, I don't think I'll find answers of how am I going to go back..."

It's true. My priority now is to get out of here. I mean, there must be someone who knows how to cross dimensions...right?

"Well, let's just say that I don't want to answer that and let's leave it like that." Ragna said. "Also, if you think I have an idea of opening a dimensional portal...thingy, then you have no idea how wrong you are..."

*sigh* Well, I'm out of ideas.

I looked around. Some of the customers were apparently vigilantes since some of them eyed us suspiciously, suspecting us...This won't do.

"Ragna, you noticed?"

"Tch. Bunch of assholes. Just when I have a day without so many problems, they pop out of nowhere to make my life shit. *sigh* Well, guess this place will turn messy afte-"

"Actually, I have an idea." I said.

"?"

"Gimme your jacket and take these phones..."

* * *

Third's PoV

"So, what exactly happened to you?" Noel asked. "Why did you drop out of the Academy like that?"

"For some reasons. Please understand." Carl said, with a tone of politeness. "You need to eat, Sis. If not, you'll get sick."

"..."

"_...Why is he talking to that doll?" _she asked herself while looking at Nirvana. Somehow, she felt uncomfortable just by looking at it.

"Is there a problem with my sister, Noel?"

"Carl, I don't want to sound rude, but that a dol-"

"She's NOT a doll!" Carl snapped.

Many of the customers (except Raim and Ragna who wanted to keep a low profile) turned around to see the cause of the outburst. Carl quickly recovered his composure.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to get angry like that. But please, refrain from calling my sister...that."

"O-Okay!" Noel was still shocked by his outburst. "My apologies, Carl's sister!"

"Ada." Carl corrected.

"Ada-san!" Noel, pathetically, tried to correct herself.

"Now Noel, I was hoping you to tell me a few things...since you're part of the NOL."

"Of course! So, what do you need?" Noel asked.

"I need information about Ragna the Bloodedge." Carl said, signs of seriousness covering his face.

If the atmosphere was cheerful by that moment, it suddenly turned cold.

"What?" Noel was shocked.

"As you may have noticed, I'm a vigilante now." Carl said with a...really calm smile. "I'm just chasing Ragna the Bloodedge because it's my job...and I want something from him."

"W-What do you want from a dangerous man like him? !" Noel, really worried, asked. It's amazing how the human face can change from happy to goddamn worried in just seconds.

The conversation started to unnerve the other customers. The simple idea of a small kid wanting to seek out Ragna the Bloodedge didn't processed well in their small, sad brains. Poor guys...

"I'm sorry but that's classified information. But...why?"

Carl closed his eyes. There will be blood today...

"I...see. Guess there's no choice then."

Oh god.

"Yeah. Sorry, but if you want anything else, I ca-"

If the action of just sipping tea silently causes discomfort around someone, then you know that person is really dangerous. Good god, Noel, get out of there!

"I guess there's really no other choice then. If I can't get the information just by asking you..."

Nirvana's arm streched too fast, grabbing Noel by the neck.

"Ack!"

"Then I guess I have to..."persuade" you. Besides, isn't that how the NOL gets their information anyways?"

Ouch. Low blow. Also, everyone freaked out when Nirvana moved by itself...herself, whatever. The smart ones ran away immediately. The others...meh, if they want to die, well...suit yourselves.

"C-Carl? ! What are you doing?" Noel struggled to breathe air.

"Just trying to get information." Carl said while smiling politely. "And where you do you think you're going...Ragna the Bloodedge?"

Bye bye, freaked out people. Hellooo incoming chaos.

"I told you I would never work!" a jacket-less Ragna wearing blue headphones shouted to a Raim wearing his jacket while all the ones who decided to stay before fled in terror. "Seriously, I don't know how you convinced me to do this crap!"

"Well, at least I tried!" Raim shouted. "Besides, you didn't have any brilliant plans, did you?"

"You're missing the point here!"

Nirvana's free arm tried to attack both of them in that instant, but using their swords, both of them blocked it with surprising ease.

"Hey! Didn't they teach you that you shouldn't interrupt people?" Raim shouted at Nirvana. "And seriously, you really, **really** have one of the worst strokes of luck I have even seen, girl." he didn't waste any time to mock Noel. Albeit honestly, he felt a little bit of pity for her.

"Eh? H-Hey! You're that guy from this morning!" Noel managed to say since Nirvana's grip faded, now that it had...she was focused more on both of the two wanted man.

"Yeah yeah...save it for later. I must cut this tin can for now." Raim added.

"**Cut? Why not blow it up?"**

"Enough, you."

"Tch. I hate when I get in these kind of messes." Ragna pointed his Blood Scythe at Carl. "Listen kid, this is your last warning. Turn back, ignore having seen us, leave that girl alone and don't come back near me."

"Us."

"Whatever."

"And if I refuse?" Carl said, not a single sign of fear in his voice.

"*sigh* Why does everyone say that?" Ragna facepalmed.

"Well...it **is **the standard answer." Raim shrugged.

"Shut up." Ragna grumbled.

And then, a table was flung at them by Nirvana. Both of them ducked as the table flew through the window, while trading the jacket and headphones respectively.

"Alright, I'll take on the Nox Nyctores. You deal with the kid." Ragna said, jumping towards Nirvana while preparing a diagonal slash.

"Fine. Break a leg, Ragna."

The brawl began with a table flung at Carl, courtesy of Raim. Noel, amidst the chaos, tried to calm both parties down. She failed miserably.

"W-Wait! You can't do that! Are you even listening to me~? !" Noel shrieked as she dodged the furniture and the slashes.

Our extra dimensional friend here picked a spare chair to use as a secondary weapon as he used a table as a step to gain altitude in order to attack Carl from above. However, Carl wasn't an idiot and moved out of the way by dashing quickly, but elegantly.

"Tch!"

Carl wasn't as good in battle without Nirvana's aid, so he was stalling until he could get close to Nirvana. A random table with dishes flew towards them. Raim cut it in half while trying to catch Carl, since he noticed that having those two together wasn't a good idea.

On the other side of the restaurant, Ragna used his Gauntlet Hades to draw closer to Nirvana for an overhead attack. Using its...her claws, she blocked the attack, but the attack was so strong it...she stumbled back. Ragna then tried to slash her, but unfortunately...

"Laetabillis Cantata!"

I still don't know where the hell does he pulls out that giant gear from, but it managed to block Ragna's attack and forced him to block.

"Idiot! This is how you do it!"

Raim tried to attack from behind, but Carl ordered Nirvana to grab his bokuto and throw him towards Ragna, making the two crash into each other, tearing down a wall due to the impact.

"Nice demostration, kid." Ragna snarked, almost Kyon-like.

"Ah, shut up." Raim stood up, knocking away the broken wall. Noticing some dishes over another table, Raim dashed towards them, picked them up and used them as projectiles. Carl shielded behind Nirvana while it...she shattered the incoming projectiles with ease.

PUNCH

But the true attack came from Ragna, who delivered a straight Hell's Fang towards Nirvana. The knockback promptly sent it flying.

And they just pressed Carl's berserk button. Oh boy...

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!"

Angry kids are scary...

Carl, in a moment of rage, jumped towards Raim and Ragna, while taking out a mechanical horse out of his cape (I suppose...) trying to stab both of them. The two of them jumped sideways to avoid the impact.

"Carl! Stop this! Don't you see that you're ruining this place? !" Noel cried out, again, with a feeble attempt to stop her friend.

Carl ignored her and continued his assault. He targeted Ragna first, since, as we all know, he's searching for the Azure. Carl took out a mechanical knight in order to attack Ragna, also while moving Nirvana forward for support. Ragna deflected the blows of Carl's knight by embedding the Blood Scythe with darkness and swinging fast. Nirvana then shot some sort of gray proyectile that Ragna was unaware of. Raim proceeded to jump, using Ragna as a step and returned the projectile with a swing of Kraid.

Said projectile created a nice giant hole on the other side of the restaurant. Geez, guys, give this place a break...

CRASH!

No! Not "break the place"! Ah, forget it...

"Burn My Dread "Great Fire of Meireiki"!" Raim tried to activate one of his spellcards.

Bzzt...

Huh?

"What?" Raim gasped as his spell card refused to activate. "What is g-?"

He was interrupted by Nirvana's claw, which grabbed and slammed him into the ground. Nirvana extended its...her claw nails to an unnerving length, almost as the size of thin, large swords and brought it down. Raim blocked in time using Kraid as a shield while desperately trying to activate another spell card.

Bzzt...

"Goddammit! Again? !"

For some unknown reason, Raim's spellcards, which are his only way to do flashy moves (including the drill sword) were not responding to his commands. Perhaps the temporal displacement is messing up with them.

"Tsk!" Carl stepped back. "Sis, are you okay?"

"..."

"Yes. The other one is a troublesome one, isn't it? Don't worry sis, it seems he isn't as strong as Ragna the Bloodedge, so..."

GRAB!

Yes, this guy may be weak in any sense. Yes, he may not have a Nox Nyctores, extra powers or other whatnot. Yes, his spellcards may be inactive. Yes, he may only use a bokuto as a standard weapon. However...

"You know, when people talk in battle is when they are confident to win...or they are distracted. If it is the latter, well..."

He located behind Carl quickly, put his arms around his body and...

"They are just stupid."

SLAM! Suplex for the win!

...

...Oh my god, Raim. You suplexed a kid, you bastard!

* * *

Raim's PoV

...Was this overkill or...

"**Nah. It was okay in my standards. Although, I'm still dissapointed. You didn't kill him yet. Better do it now."**

"...Why? I don't have a need since he's KO'd already. Besides, I won't stay in this place forever, you know. I still need to find someone who knows how to bring me back to my dimension."

"**But what if you can't? Dimensional travel doesn't seem like a cake walk, kid. Perhaps we're stuck here. Imagine! We can kill everyone in this place and fill the ground with blood, without that red-white messing with us!"**

"Okay, as I said before, completely ignore you and piss you off." I concluded.

While ignoring the bastard's growls, I quickly stepped away from the Jigsaw-like female doll...thingy. Seriously, doesn't this kid have anything that doesn't creep me out. Nice hat, though.

"..."

...She's not moving? Phew.

"Okay kid, that was completely insane and unethical." Ragna commented.

"That coming from you? I'm surprised."

"Hey, don't start, alright?"

BANG!

We turned around to see...oh hey there, Noel. I'm surprised you didn't run off.

"Carl! What did you do to him? !"

"Eh, I think your eyesight is failing. Weren't you watching the whole ordeal? ! You should have noticed I suplexed him."

"**I think I heard the delicious sound of bon-"**

"Not helping!" I shut Glid up. "Look, calm down, put those big-ass guns down and maaaybe we can resolve this mess with less violence than it should."

"You're not really good with words, you know." Ragna told me. And he was right.

Noel was still unnerved. I don't blame her. I really, **really **shouldn't have suplexed Carl. My bad.

...Though, strangely, it felt like fun. Oh god, what am I becoming...?

"Please, don't move!"

"You know, if you keep saying please like that, nobody will obey you, you know." I commented.

"B-But..."

"Hey now. Look, just think for a while. It's two against one." I said while pointing at both Ragna and me. "Basically two dangerous criminals against one officer whose legs are shaking." I said, while looking at her legs in a not perverted way. I'm playing psychology warfare here.

"U-Um..."

"Also, you seem to be hungry. Why else would you enter to a restaurant, then? Isn't your stomach begging you to eat something?"

"T-That's not true!"

*grumble*

...

"...You were saying?" I continued.

"T-That doesn't change you two are very dangerous criminals! You, Ragna the Bloodedge, hold the rank of SS criminal and the highest bounty in the records of the NOL!"

"Do you have to already repeat information everyone knows already, you idiot?" Ragna commented.

Noel cringed when Ragna called her idiot.

"...A-And you." she know pointed her revolvers at me. "Even though you just appeared out of nowhere, your spree of destruction was already noticed in Kagutsuchi. You blew up part of Orient Town, caused mass hysteria by destroying a seithr tank and spreading its contents!"

"You ungrateful bitch." I said, without holding back. "Why you omitted the parts in which I saved your ass, not only once, but **twice** during this day. First from that death trap of an airship and next, when you and your "friends" tried to shoot me down, making me use that tank as a way out."

"Eh? ! The one from the airship? T-That was you? !"

"WHAT? !" that really shocked me. "You didn't recognise me?"

"What was I supposed to do~? !" she shrieked. "There was fire...everywhere..."

...Why did she stopped? And why do I feel that Ragna felt uncomfortable too?

Noel shook her head, snapping out of her trance.

"...However, that doesn't change the fact that you committed those crimes. And, if what you are saying is true, you also committed act of violence against the NOL's property. I'm sorry, but even if you saved me, I can't turn a blind eye to this!"

Noel then started running against us. Shit, I hate when this happ-

THUD!

...

...She tripped. Did...did she really trip?

No, really. She was running just like normal and then, BAM! Girl's the epitome of pathetic. I really, **really **feel sorry for her. Hey, even Ragna raised an eyebrow.

"...Ow." she let out a small cry while rubbing her nose. Also, her beret started falling and, I have to say, nice hair.

"What the! ?" Ragna, for some reason, was shocked, almost if he had seen a ghost. "That face!"

"Huh? Something wrong, Ragna?"

"...No. Even if the resemblance is uncanny, she can't be her!" Ragna continued talking to himself.

"HEY, earth to Ragna!" I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Snap out of it!"

"Eh? ! What?" Ragna snapped out of his own trance now.

**"Okay, what the crispy shit is this? It seems as if both of you suffer from brain damage or something along those lines."**

"Hey! Why won't you just shut up?"

**"Make me." **Glid taunted.

"Okay, both of you stop." I said."You know what, I'm out of here."

"Same here." Ragna said.

...I don't have time for this shit. I should be looking for a way out of this place, not goofing around like an idiot.

"W-Where do you think you're going? !" Noel, standing up again, shouted at us. "Y-You're under arrest!"

Yeah yeah...

"Besides, you have nowhere to run! Please, just surrender and make this all easy for me."

"Nowhere to run?" I asked. "In that, you're wrong."

I was looking at a very good and ornamented chinese style window. What a piece of art, may I add...

"Okay, you're officially crazy." Ragna said, figuring out what was I going to do.

*sigh*

SMASH!

"Aaah!" I'm pretty sure that was Noel's scream as we jumped out of the window.

Frankly, I was expecting to land on another street, since this was a crowded area. However...

"You bastard! Why did you jump hereee? !"

"I didn't plan this through~!" I answered back. "Besides, **you** followed me!"

"Shut the hell up!"

Let's just say thay there was a reaaaaally long way down.


	5. Insert right title here

"I don't believe it. They actually j-jumped..." Noel gulped as she leaned towards the shattered glass of the window. The shards were dispersed through the floor, so Noel was extra careful when walking over them.

She looked back at the wreck that was the restaurant. Flipped tables, broken chairs, ragged carpets...Noel felt torn when she saw that chaotic display of disaster.

Then she remembered something important.

"Oh no! Carl!"

She ran towards the unconscious body of Carl Clover, the Nox Nyctores, Nirvana, completely immobile next to him.

"Carl! Are you alright? Please, answer me!" Noel desperately tried to wake up Carl.

"*nom* *nom* *nom* Ah~. Tao's happy! Hmm?"

The table in which Taokaka was eating the rest of the dishes was somehow miraculously spared from the disaster so she didn't notice all the chaos that broke loose. Seriously, her attention span is null when there's food in front of her.

"Whoaaaa! What happened here, meow?" Tao asked blissfully. "Hey, lacking lady, what happened here, mew?"

The word "lacking" really hit a nerve in Noel's mind, but she shrugged it off. Carl's safety was her priority for now.

"I'm not a "lacking" lady. Also, by your appearance, you must be a member of the Kaka clan, am I right?" Noel asked, trying to act as a proper NOL officer...for once. "C-Could I ask you to help me move Carl somewhere safe?"

"You mean shorty, nya?" Tao asked quizzically. "Tao's full so Tao'll help!"

"R-Really? Why thank you!" Noel was happy that someone tried to cooperate with her for once.

*grumble*

"Ehehe..." Noel said embarrassed. "I still forgot I didn't eat anything yet."

"Meow? You're hungry, lacking lady?" Taokaka inquired, her tone turning more playful. "Don't worry! Tao hasn't finished eating yet, so Tao will share with lacking lady!"

"Eh? ! Really?" Noel was surprised. Nobody in her life (except for Tsubaki, Makoto and Carl) had shared lunch with her. She was completely taken off guard. "Oh, thank you so much! I-I really appreciate what you're doing!"

"No problem, lacking lady!" Tao said, ignoring the fact that Noel didn't like that nickname. "Anyways, weren't you worried about shorty, nya?"

"Eh?" Noel asked. Then she gasped as she remember. "Oh, right! Hey, would you mind help me move Carl to the clinic?"

"Mew? Well, Tao's not busy so Tao'll help, nya!"

Noel smiled. First time in her life, apart from her friends in the academy that someone actually was nice to her.

* * *

Raim's PoV

Feeling the air is always good when stressed or troubled with problems during your normal life.

It eases your soul.

It clears the mind.

Air is your friend...Except when...

"SHIIIIIIIIIITT!" the collective screams of Ragna and I pierced the air as that said air threatened to scar my face due to pressure.

My good god! How much long with this fall be? ! Honestly! This is beyond ridiculous!

Also, I could've sworn several people saw us fall. And that created three things in their minds.

Confusion.

Fear. And strangely, relief since it seemed that Ragna was falling to his demise, along with me.

...Assholes.

"This is your fault, kid! Goddammit, why the hell I jumped in the first place?"

"**Well...that proves you're a moron."**

"Oh, you shut up!" Ragna cut Glid off.

"GUYS! Focus, dammit!" I tried to calm both of them down, with partial success. "Look, we have to think how in hell are we going to survive this crap!"

"Survive? ! How? !" Ragna was torn between been angry at me and worried.

"...Err..."

"_PIPE!"_

"Wha-?"

**CLANK**

"SON OF A BITCH!" I winced in pain as my head crashed with a metal pipe. The recoil made me spin backwards until I managed to balance myself. "Shit! That hurt like hell!"

"Heh, tell me about it." Ragna said grimly as he dodged the incoming pipes while free falling. I gotta say, it looks kinda cool.

"_WALL!"_

...Shit.

**CRASH**

"AARGH!" both of us shouted like maimed dogs. Honestly, there's a limit who much punishment one body can handle.

Ouch...my head still hurts...and the wind isn't helping. You know what, I'll do something productive this time. Some of the pipes are correctly aligned, so this'll be easy.

*grind*

"_Ouch! What are you doing, kid?" _Kraid shouted as I used him as a board in order to grind over the pipes. "_You're not going to grind your way to safety are you?"_

Err...

"_Forget it..."_

I don't know if it was the blunt hit on my forehead or my own instinct of survival that triggered this, but I started grinding over the pipes in order to avoid certain death. Ragna also noticed this and used his sword to grind too, but in his case, he covered it with some sort of black aura, which helped him to slide down faster.

Niiice.

Besides, I'm starting to see a strange purplish cloud in front of me. If I'm not mistaken, these guys called it "seithr".

And, if my recent experiences with it taught me something, this wasn't going to be any good...

"Oh shit. This doesn't look good..." Hey, redundancy, Ragna. "Hey, kid, you better hold your breath for a few seconds!"

"I think I'll be fine!" I said honestly. "I already felt this "seithr" thing, but I didn't feel anything. Seriously."

That filled Ragna's face with utter confusion. Did I say something wrong? Nevermind.

"**Alright, you pussies! Brace yourselves for impact...or else."**

I _might've _said something snarky there but it wasn't the right time for that.

"*sigh* This is going to suck..." Ragna muttered.

**CRASH**

And a hole over the Kaka village was born. Two in fact.

* * *

Episode 5: Insert right title here

* * *

THUD!

**CRACK**

"GODDAMMIT!" I cried out as my back landed on a roof, rebounded towards a wall and finally landed on something...metallic? Hell if I know, but I was in deep pain. Ragna was luckier.

He just crashed through a roof and landed on some sort of cushion made out of hay. Why do I get the feeling I'm just unlucky?

"**Because you are?"**

Stop it.

"...Okay, I swear to God, I'll never do a freaking stunt like that again!" Ragna grumbled as he rose to his feet, kicking a near crate in order to move. "Kid, what the hell's wrong with you? ! You almost killed us!"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time..." I said while forcing myself to stand. I had it rougher than Ragna since I landed on my back.

"Although...in a positive light, I think I like that thing I did. Maybe I should call it "Belial Edge" or something..."

"Anyway, where in shit are we?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, I think this is the Kaka village."

"Kaka? What the hell's that?"

Ragna just pointed at...what the hell? Are those...kittens? I have seen Chen before, but...why are they wearing masks? Why, is it some sort of tradition or is that really their faces? Hell if I know, but at least, it seems they are not hostile.

"So that's a Kaka?" I asked.

"Well...yeah. There's no better way to put it." Ragna said.

"**And the weirdness get worse. Seriously, what the hell is happening is this piece of crap?"**

"I think the same. Besides, what the hell are you sitting on? Whatever it is, it looks out of place." Ragna asked me.

"What?" I stood up.

Behind me was some sort of device which kind of looked pretty heavy and, more importantly, out of place. From what I can notice, the Kaka don't use this kind of technology. Hell, this is just too high tech for them!

Anyways, it's completely broken now. Somehow, I don't feel any sense of pity for the one who put this in here.

* * *

"*sneeze*" Tager, to his own surprise, sneezed. "Hm? That's odd. Is my internal ventilation system malfunctioning? That's odd."

Tager was still auto-repairing, which meant he was stuck on the Monorail until he was one hundred percent repaired. Still, for him to sneeze, it was odd...

* * *

"What the hell is this supposed to be?" I asked, analysing the object with interest. "Ragna, any ideas?"

"...Well, this is a wild guess, but I think this belongs to Sector Seven. Those bastards...what are they planning? Well, if it doesn't involve me, then I simply don't care." Ragna said while turning back and looking around. "Now, where's the exit?"

"Huh? Leaving so soon?" I asked. "Why? You're in a hurry?"

"Look, kid. In the first place, thanks for the food, but I've some unfinished business to take care of. So, do yourself a favor and go away." Ragna took out his sword and pointed it at me. "Or else..."

"...You're still pissed because of the fall, right?"

"Pretty much." Ragna answered.

Well, I have no business with Ragna either, so I guess it's time to g-

"Oh my. What an interesting spectacle. Two dogs barking at each other for supremacy. Truly, you don't see this everyday." a female voice said out of nowhere.

Ragna groaned, almost if he knew who was talking right now.

"Hey rabbit! What the hell are you doing here? Show yourself!" Ragna shouted.

Before I could ask who this rabbit was, some sort of temporal displacement...thingy surrounded both of us.

* * *

"Oh, boobie lady... Where are you, meow?" Taokaka asked as Noel carried an injured Carl inside. Also, Taokaka was dragging the body of Nirvana by its...her arm.

"H-Hello? Is someone here?" Noel looked around. "We need your help, please!"

The figure of Linhua came out from the room next to them, carrying some medicines with her. When she saw the injured body of Carl, she almost dropped everything she was holding.

"Wh-? What happened to him?" she asked worried. "These wounds are serious. What exactly happened? !"

"Well..."

* * *

"You were in the same restaurant as Ragna the Bloodedge? ! What were you thinking? !" Linhua gasped, knowing too well the reputation Ragna had on these areas. "Hey, miss Noel, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Noel answered.

"Hey, hey, have you seen boobie lady around, nya?" Taokaka asked, ignoring the conversation.

"You mean the doctor?" Linhua asked. "I'm sorry, but she hasn't returned yet. Even I don't know where she is now."

"Meow? ! But Tao wanted to play with boobie lady!" Taokaka jumped around.

"Well, as you see, she's not here, so..."

The door opened in that moment. Taokaka assumed it was Litchi who entered, so she jumped towards the figure.

"MEOW! Boobie lady! You're...back?" Taokaka stopped short as she, instead of feeling something soft and bouncy as she expected, crashing into some hard like concrete.

"Gah! Tao? What are you doing here?" Bang asked. "More importantly, would you mind letting go of my chest?"

"Hey, scruffy man! What are you doing here?" Taokaka asked with surprised, but then a grin was in her face. "Oh~! You came to fondle boobie lady's mean buns too, nya?"

"WHAT? !" Bang's faced turned red when confronted with that question. "N-No! That's not what it looks like! I...I was patrolling! Yes! That's right."

You're obviously here again to look for Litchi, you moron.

"Ah, you're that ninja from the morning." Linhua said. "You left without notice so I was kind of worried about your injuries."

"Ah, don't worry, young lady. I've taken far worse injuries than that. As you can see, I'm completely fine." Bang boasted. "More importantly...what has happened to that child over there?"

Bang was referring to Carl, which was laid down on a bed, with Nirvana at his side. Noel was the one who spoke this time.

"Um...it's a long story...but..."

* * *

Raim's PoV

THUD!

I unconsciously prepared to land on a hard floor, but instead, a soft bed of roses broke my fall. Huh...well, that's a change of pace.

"Rabbit, this isn't funny." Ragna shouted towards a figure sitting next to a really elegant table. The figure belonged to a blonde girl with pigtails and a elegant black dress. I don't see how she's a rabb-...Oh. Those ribbons. Yeah, I see it too.

Also, she wasn't paying attention to Ragna. She was calmly drinking what I assume is tea. Apart from the elegant tea set, there was a completely empty dish which is normally used for dessert. Guess she was enjoying a snack when we arrived.

"Ragna, I'm enjoying my tea now. If you would be so kind as to just shut that hole which you call a mouth, then I could enjoy this tea to the fullest."

"I don't care about your crappy tea! I don't even know why you teleported us here!"

"Quiet, you." the girl interrupted Ragna. "You got here by accident, may I add. Nevertheless, seeing your ugly face once in a while isn't so bad. Besides, I only wanted to talk with your...friend over there."

You're talking about me?

Suddenly, a gust of wind managed to raise me to my feet. I have to admit, that was really surprising.

_"**Kid, I don't like that bitch over there."**_Glid said._ "**Do we kill her?"**_

"_No. Even if she has that arrogant snob attitude of hers, she may be knowledgeable enough to know how to send me back. So shut up for once."_

**"_Aight."_**

I walked over to the red roses. Nice garden, I admit, but there's some questions I want answered...

"Hey, who or what are you?" I asked. "I really don't know what kind of trick you did back there nor I care. The only thing I want to know is if you know a way to send me back to my own goddamn dimension.**_"_**

"Direct to the point, I see." the girl said. "No wonder why you got along too well with Ragna. *giggle* This is intriguing, indeed. It seems that beasts of the same caliber get together."

...Was that an insult? I hope not, because that'll mean you're pissing me off.

"Oh my. You are also prone to anger...

"**You think?"**

...I hate you.

"Hm? Well, now, that was...unexpected. May I inquire of what was that barbaric voice?"

"**Hey now, if you're going to compare me to something, don't compare me with a barbarian. It's better to compare me with a goddamn omnicidal maniac, thank you."**

"What a complete lack of modals..." the "rabbit" said. "How sad." I noticed a small tip of sarcasm judging from her tone. What a bitch.

"Would you **please** ignore the bastard? !" I cut their conversation in order not to get into trouble. "Listen, I don't know why you brought me here, nor I care. What I really want is to get out of this dimension. NOW!"

"What an impatient young man! Haven't they taught you any manners when talking to a lady?" the "rabbit" questioned me.

"You want me to answer? Well, no. No I haven't. I treat them as another human."

"*sigh* Enough of this felony of a conversation. Let's get this over with." the "rabbit" cleared her throat. "You obviously don't grasp the situation you are in. Quite frankly, I don't mind at all. However, you may serve useful for something. And perhaps, I'll help you return to your dimension, if I may wish to."

"What?"

Okay, that caught my attention.

"It's quite simple. You just need to follow my orders, like a servant wo-"

"Cut the crap." I snarled.

That made the "rabbit" blink in perplexion.

"...Beg your pardon? I was not do-"

"You don't have to say more shit." I said, almost like growling. Huh. "I can accept a favor, but to become someone's dog...I have my standards, dammit!" I pointed Kraid at her. "There's no way a stuck up bitch like you will order me!"

"**Damn straight."**

"Heh." Ragna chuckled silently.

The girl remained silent for a while, _still_ drinking that goddamn tea. Then...

"Valkenhayn." she called out.

Out of nowhere, an old and well dressed butler appeared, apparently hearing her call.

"You called, madam?"

"That was a quite good cake, Valkenhayn. You can take the dishes now."

"Gladly, madam." he gave a small bow, then noticed an...unwanted sight. "Madam, may I inquire what is the insect Ragna the Bloodedge doing in our untarnished residence?"

"Him?" she said while looking at Ragna. "Well, it was not my intention to bring him here today, but since he is already here, I might as well act as a proper host."

The girl just looked at Valkenhayn. I heard that good butlers knew what their masters wanted just by watching them, but I never heard of a butler feeling uncomfortable at receiving an order.

"...I understand, my lady." Valkenhayn said, looking at Ragna's direction.

"Hey, old man! What are you..."

Quicker than I could see, that butler grabbed Ragna by his right shoulder, took out a chair out of nowhere and forced Ragna to sit.

"Hey! What the hell? !"

"I still do not understand why my lady has gained an interest in you, but know your place boy, and remember it well."

"Tch!" Ragna grunted. "Don't you understand I'm in a hurry, you bunny leech? ! I have no time to watch you fight the kid."

It's Raim, not kid. Also, bunny leech? Are you suggesting she's a vampire?

...Ah, I noticed the small fangs. So, she's a goddamn vampire, huh? *sigh* And I thought that her similarities with Remilia were a coincidence...

"Oh, don't fret, Ragna. Besides, I want to have fun for a while."

And then a FREAKING BOLT OF LIGHTNING cackled in front of me. One almost shocked Ragna, who needed to backstep in order to dodge.

Guess I pressed the wrong buttons.

"And I thought you were smart enough to accept my terms." the "rabbit" said with her eyes closed. "Very well. I think I need to...educate you in the proper manners."

The "rabbit" girl stood up from her black chair, which transf-...

...What.

"Well, it seems there's another dog in here, princess." the big cat with a...*ahem* _fabulous_ tone of voice said. Is that cat even male?

"Yeah! He looks dirty too!" the small red bat which was flying around her before said.

Can somebody shut them up?

SLAP!

"Ow! That hurt, princess!" the two of them said in unison. Nice bitchslap by the way.

Thank you.

"I had enough of this shit. Hey, Rachel! Would you mind sending us back?" Ragna was as impatient as me. And apparently, her name is Rachel. Hmm...

KRAKOOM!

"Gah!" Ragna shouted as the lightning grazed the chair he was sitting down on.

"Not now, Ragna. Stay there like a good boy if you know what's good for you." Rachel said, in a tone you would use to talk to a five year old.

"Grrr!"

Geez, man, if you are this easy to anger, I fear you may be easily manipulated...

"*sigh* I knew it was going to end like this. Snobbish bitches like you really get on my nerves." I added. She's worse than Remilia...and that's saying something.

"And a disrespectful dog gets on mine."

"**Ooh. Nice comeback."**

"Whose side are you on? !" I roared.

KRAKOOM!

"Tch! Nevermind that! Well, _Rachel_, you want to play? Then, let's play!"

* * *

Third's PoV

"What? !" Bang was shocked when he heard the news from Noel. "Is this true? I always knew Ragna the Bloodedge was a vulgar criminal, but to beat up children like that...!" the knuckles on Bang's fists turned white.

Actually, it is Raim's fault, not Ragna's. Noel's version of the story isn't quite accurate. She's kind of mislead since Ragna (in her mind) seemed more prone to those actions than a total stranger who just blew up an airship and almost covered Orient Town with seithr...Wait, what?

Noel...what goes inside that little head of yours?

"Mew? Rawrgna was there, nya? But the only people with Tao were good guy and weird guy...and perhaps head guy, but that's not important, nya!"

"Really?" Bang interrupted. "Then I hope this good guy and weird guy are fine." Bang, not knowing the true identities of the guys, said. You're a moron, didn't they tell you that?

"_Um, but I think it was Ragna the Bloodedge and that guy, the one of the airship, sitting with her. _Excuse me, but I think it wa-"

"Well, I'm going to find boobie lady now, meow!" Taokaka declared as she run as fast as a rocket towards I don't know where. "See ya later, scruffy man, lacking lady!"

"I'm not a lacking lady!" Noel protested, but alas, she was already gone. "Why do people keep saying that?"

"W-Well...different people have different periods of...growth. Don't worry, I'm sure your time will come." Linhua tried to comfort her.

"That's what Makoto said last time...*sniffle*"

...*sigh* She's hopeless, alright.

Trying to ease the situation, Bang spoke.

"*ahem* Well, staying like this won't solve anything. Don't worry, fellow citizens! I'll bring Ragna the Bloodedge to justice, or my name isn't BANG SHISHIG-!"

"Boss!" a voice came from outside. "There you are!"

From outside, two hooded ninja called Bang while running as fast as they could.

"What is it, my men?" Bang questioned his subordinates. "Did you find any clues about Ragna the Bloodedge? Or perhaps about that villain Jin Kisaragi?"

That caught Noel's attention.

"_He's looking for the major? ! Why?"_

Uh...hello? Ninja from Ikaruga? Targeting the "Hero of Ikaruga"? Don't ask stupid questions if the answer is obvious.

"Well, not exactly, boss." the ninjas said while looking at each other. "But we came here because there's a hole over Ronin-gai that appeared out of nowhere. Also, the same happened on the bottom, just about the Kaka village. But it's odd..."

"What is it?"

"Well...normally complete plates fall down due to lack of maintenance. However, this time, that wasn't the case. You see...the holes were...human shaped."

"...What? !" everyone gasped.

"D-Don't tell me somebody fell off! That's horrible!" Noel interrupted.

"By the glory of Ikaruga! Have you found those poor men? !" Bang was completely shocked. "We must make a search for them, immediately!"

"That's why we were looking for you, boss!" the yellow ninja said. "Also, we need to repair the bottom part of Ronin-gai if we don't want the seithr to go in."

"I understand. I'll let my hunt towards Ragna the Bloodedge slide this time. For now, the safety of my fellow compatriots is my priority. Come, my men! We'll go faster than the wind!"

"Yes, boss!"

The three of them leaped over roofs at great speed, until there were nothing more that small dots in the horizon...

"They're gone..." Noel said. She wanted to ask Bang about what he knew about Jin Kisaragi. After all, it has being at least five hours since she arrived to Kagutsuchi...via flaming airship of doom, but that doesn't matter anymore.

"MEOW! Scruffy man! Wait for Tao, nya!" Taokaka bounced off the clinic running incredibly fast, following Bang and the others. "Maybe I can find boobie lady there, mew!"

And Taokaka was gone... Girl has some speed...

"Geez, what a weird day." Linhua commented. "First an NOL airship explodes, then Orient Town was almost covered with seithr and now, strange holes appeared in both Ronin-gai and above the Kaka village. Seems like something taken out of a bad fanfic."

...You bitch.

"Eh? W-Well, not all fanfics are bad...I suppose." Noel tried to...protest? D-Don't tell me...

"Hm? You...write fanfics, Noel?"

...I have seen everything.

"N-NO! It's not like that! I normally write poems... Ah! No, I didn't say that. Forget it! Please, forget it!"

You're just embarrassing yourself even more! Also...you just confirmed you write fanfics because you flustered when asked...

"Eh~? Really? That's not a bad hobby, you know. But still, I'm kind of surprised a member of the NOL has this kinds of..."

"*sob*"

"...Forget what I said." Linhua tried to calm her down. "Anyways, I'll take care of the boy until the doctor comes back, so don't worry about it too much, alright?"

"...Okay." Noel said, her tears already dry. "Besides, I must go search for the major too. He's still in Kagutsuchi." Noel commented.

"Well, I can't help you there. I must look out the clinic, you know?" Linhua said. "But anyways, I wish you luck with whatever you're doing."

"Yeah! Thank you so much!" Noel thanked Linhua as she started once again her search. "Maybe he's at the headquarters..."

As Noel was frantically running towards the top levels, she sighed.

"Never would've thought there was someone of the NOL like that. She's just too polite...in contrast to those brutes..." she commented to herself. "Now I wonder, where's the doctor?"

* * *

"That's odd... I thought I would find him here..." Litchi said, looking around at the sewers below Kagutsuchi. "I heard that he was sighted around these areas, but..."

Litchi looked around, her pole latched on her back. The air was humid and there was a horrid stench coming from the pipe in front of her. She heard some rumors about Taokaka that "squiggly" normally appears near this place...or that's what Taokaka thinks.

"...*sigh* I knew I should've asked for more information." Litchi said while facepalming and trying to think what to do next. "And it is me or is the temperature decreasing?"

To answer that question, ice shards started forming almost instantly in the wall next to her. She instinctively stepped back as the wall shattered because of something black flying through it.

"I-It's...!"

The slimy shape of Arakune crashed into the opposite wall of the sewer and dropped to the ground as if it was simply black water, yet it was still shaking. Litchi immediately recognized him, but before she could even shout, a cold presence filled the area.

"Tch. Not even worth my time. Just a bunch of trash."

From the other side of the wall, as the dust cloud cleared up, the figure of Jin Kisaragi walked forward, a face of annoyance plastered over his features. He was going for the kill when...

"Stop!" Litchi ran and blocked Jin's path towards Arakune. "Please, leave him alone!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jin's tone seemed both uninterested and cold. "Get out of my way, or I'll cut you to pieces."

Litchi didn't seem threatened by Jin's words. Instead...

"I'm sorry, but I must ask you to leave." she said in a calm, yet strong voice. "Even if you're the Hero of Ikaruga, Jin Kisaragi, please, leave him alone." she repeated.

Jin just released ice swords towards her, which used her pole as a shield. And by shield, I mean changing its shape to a flat shield..._literally!_

"Tch. This feeling..." Jin muttered, and then figured out something. "I see...so you're drawing power from the Boundary..."

Litchi remained silent, giving ambiguety to her answer. However, Jin continued...

"They said that the Boundary can drive people mad. However, I don't care what happens to you. Now, I'll ask you... do you know anything about Ragna the Bloodedge's whereabouts?"

Litchi blinked. Even though she didn't know anything about Ragna's current location, the question about why Jin Kisaragi, an NOL officer of his rank, was searching for the Death God directly popped in her head.

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that." Litchi said. "Since you don't have business here, I ask you to leave."

Jin didn't pay attention to her. Instead, he unleashed an Touga Hyoujin (the incredibly fast ice wave...thingy) which forced Litchi to dodge, separating her from Arakune, which started fleeing through a small hole in the ground.

"No! Come back!" she tried to call him out...but sadly, he was already gone. A stray ice sword brought her back to reality.

"Hah! You think I'll swallow those lies of yours?" Jin answered. "Don't make me believe that a random person with access to the Boundary does not know anything about Ragna's whereabouts. If I were in your position, I should just tell the truth, making your death less painful than it should."

Litchi stepped back. Was Jin suspecting she was looking for the Azure? She kept saying to herself it wasn't like that, but, during the last few days, she had the strange feeling to search for it. She shook her head, trying to dissipate that thought and trying to focus herself on her search for Arakune.

"N-No, you got it all wrong!" Litchi **was **telling the truth. The problem was that Jin thought it as complete bullshit.

"Fool. So be it. If you don't want to tell me, I'll force the answers right out of your mouth!" Jin sheathed Yukianesa, in an elegant battle stance.

Shit is going down here...

* * *

Raim's PoV

There's one thing to say about the situation I'm in...

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTNING, VERY, VERY FRIGHTENING ME!

"_Galileo!"_

"**Galileo!"**

_"Galileo!"_

_"_**Galileo, Galileo Figa-"**

SHUT UP!

"I'm a bit impressed." Rachel said after I dodged the last lightning that came at me. "Never would've thought an insect like you could be this entertaining."

"Entertaining?" Wait, this means... "You were just toying with me?"

"*giggle* But of course. Why go all out on a low life form such as you?"

"...You're a bitch, didn't they tell you that?"

"**I second that."**

"_Third."_

Rachel ignored the bad comments about her masterfully as she proceeded to shoot those "Tiny Lobelias" at me. I tried to step back, but she somehow can manipulate the wind, which made me step in the middle of a triangle formed by the Tiny Lobelias.

"Sword Iris." she said.

KRAKOOM!

The loud sound of thunder stormed my ears, almost making me daft for a second. I tried to slash her with Kraid directly, but the bitch used her wind manipulation _again _to change the trajectory of the attack, making me miss completely.

The fact that she isn't moving at all, almost as if mocking me, irks me so, **so** much.

"...Pathetic. Is this all you can do? Even Ragna could give me a much enjoyable exercise than this."

"It's because of your stupid wind!" I snarled, while launching a diagonal slash towards Rachel, but she put her cat in front of her as a shield. "That's a really unfair advantage from my point of view."

"**Or you're just plain sucking at this."**

"Don't you start."

"If all you can do is bark, then I see no point of prolonging this farce of a fight any longer." Rachel sighed. "Well then, guess I should finish this."

Shit...at this rate, I think I'm not going to lose to her, but also my opportunity to get info in order to get out of this hellhole...My legs are numb too. Too much static.

Move...move dammit!

"...!"

Where the hell did the cow and giant frog came from, I don't know. However, I knew one thing very clearly.

"...This is going to suck."

SMASH!

"Gah!" my body was flunged away by the giant animals while electricity filled every nerve of my body. The shock felt so horrible I wanted to puke.

"*pant* *pant*"

"**Hey now. Don't go collapsing on me, kid." **the bastard mocked me.

"...Asshole."

...That bitch is hovering around me.

"Oh? Still conscious after that shock? Well, it seems you're much more resilient than I thought."

"Haven't people ever told you that you can be really irritating just by talking?" I grunted as I forced myself to stand. "Look at you, some sort of snobbish bitch that doesn't even fight directly. Heh, perhaps you aren't strong at all."

"**Yeah. She's just a goddamn shitty vampire! Hm? Hey, that sounds nice." **the bastard commented.

"Mind your manners, boy!" the butler, Valkenhayn, warned me, and I could swear I saw fangs in his mouth.

"Oh my. It seems not only the shocks harmed your body, but your little brain also suffered from it. How sad." she said with a really frustrating smile. Oh, I just want to rip that smile away with a chainsaw...wait, I can't use something like that for this kind of thing.

I ignored the numbness in my body and rushed again towards her. Unamused, she stepped back, shooting those Tiny Lobelias again, which I dodged..well, except one which hit me on the face. Also, she let out some sort of frog...or is it toad? Hell if I now, but anything coming from that bitch is not good news.

"**Just kick it away."**

And I did. The frog flew over the garden and...turned into electric sparks? Was that thing a frog taser?

"**Frog taser, huh? When I thought that shit was already the craziest...BAM! A new ridiculous thing happens! Kid, you sure attract the weird crowd."**

"Don't remind me."

KRAKOOM!

"I suggest you three stop trying to ignore me. That shows exactly that you lack modals."

"_She noticed me?" _Kraid asked, surprised that Rachel noticed his presence inside the bokuto.

"Who needs modals to fight?" I said, actually making a good point. Why be modest and rule abiding while fighting? The only thing that matters in a fight is winning, and nothing else.

...Only that, huh? In that case, perhaps I should use the art of combat pragmatism. That's all I have left apart from my currently useless spellcards.

"**Hal****lelujah!"**Glid sneered. "**Time to break her neck in pieces, kid. Oh, and this time, I'll give you a liiiiiittle piece of my awesomeness."**

"What?" I managed to mutter before a strange and sinister feeling surged through my veins. It was neither painful nor comforting. You could say it was...in-between. Like a soup that tastes neither good or bad. But still, what it changes is that this feeling nullified all the pain I had suffered up to this point.

"What the hell is that?" Ragna said, looking at me. I noticed what he meant too. A thin, but noticeable, dark aura surrounded my body, almost as it was an extension of it. Valkenhayn's view looked grim and Rachel was just amused by my sudden change.

"Well now, it seems you have some surprises left." Rachel smirked. "And I was worried this was turning too dull for my tastes too. Very well, shall we continue?"

"Heh. You said it. Bring it on, bitch!"

Rachel fired her Tiny Lobelias and used the wind to force them near me. I looked around quickly and noticed some tombstones here...Must be part of the decor.

This will do.

"*grunt*"

CRACK!

"Wha-?"

SLAM!

Breaking the tombstone in half, I managed to create a small stone bat, which I used to launch the Tiny Lobelias back at Rachel. However, she used the wind again to disperse them, along with some petals.

...Showoff.

"Even though using your surroundings was a smart move...using my furniture was not." Rachel was not happy about that.

"Oh? What's wrong? What happened to Ms. Bitch? Angry now?" I tried to taunt her. "Come on! I'm just getting started."

I need her to be angrier. If not, I'll never be able to even hit her. She has no weak spots on sight due to her being so calm and aloof. That's why I need to press the correct buttons now.

"**_So that's the plan, huh? _Hey, STUPID BITCH!" **Glid shouted while I pulled out another tombstone. "**Did you wet yourself already? Come on! This is reeeaally getting boring, you know? And I thought you were a normal bitch, but noooo, you're a super bitch!"**

"Baden Baden Lily!" Rachel said ominously as she was right above me.

KRAKOOM!

That lightning might've cracked my skull open if I didn't use the tombstones as shields. Hell, they vaporized on contact! That was some scary shit right there...

And now, a flying pumpking almost chomped my head. But still, Rachel didn't show any sign of anger. On the contrary, she looked much more bored than before.

Dammit, this isn't working out...there must be something I must do to anger her! But what?

"Holy shit, I can't believe you used those bricks as shields!" Ragna commented.

...Hold on. Ragna... I think I got my ammunition.

"Hey, vampire bitch!" I tried to gain Rachel's attention. "Say, why are you following Ragna? What I can get from your conversations is that you two are acquainted for some time. But then again, you seem to know everything about him, hm? What, you're his stalker or someth-?

KRAKOOM! KRAKOOM! **KRAKOOM!**

Holy shit! That was close.

"A stalker?" Rachel started said, with an eerie calmness.

KRAKOOM!

Oh shit...I think I found her berserk button.

"Ugh! You spit! How common! How _disgusting_!"

"Heh. You mad?" I answered.

"To answer your ridiculous question with your own crude vernacular, I am "pissed" that you believe I'm a stalker. I am anything BUT."

"**Well, if you want my goddamn opinion, I think you're getting all this worked up because you _know_ you are a bitching stalker."**

That was the breaking point. I noticed because she, for the first time, looked genuinely pissed.

"The nerve of you! I treat you as guests and what do I receive? Insults, accusations of me being a stalker! I thought you had the potential to break this madness, but alas, I was wrong. You're nothing more than an arrogant, foulmouthed excuse of a man!"

"And you're still a stalker."

She immediately stopped talking. Guess she's entering in a mode of tranquil fury.

"How dare you insult my lady like that!" Valkenhayn said, almost like a threatening growl.

"Shut it, wolfy."

Oh man, I don't know why, but I'm kind of enjoying launching insults at this too. Ragna just blinked. He was confused between seeing Rachel truly angry and the fact I was putting more wood to the fire.

_"I think you over done it this time_..." Kraid commented.

"Why?"

I couldn't hear his reply since I felt my body pushed by lightning with such brute force that I left a human shape dent in the wall.

* * *

Third's PoV

If Rachel didn't look scary just by her fighting style, then Raim is in for a "holy shit" fight.

While Raim was struggling in order to get himself free from the wall, Rachel released lightning from her hand, catching Raim, pulling him out of the wall and continuously slamming him like a rag doll over and over, grinding him over the walls _repeatedly_, all while a thin white aura covered her.

It's safe to say she's gone Unlimited out of anger. Also, who knew she could use Force Lightning!

"Guess this is the only way to get rid of trash such as you." Rachel commented, still swinging Raim around, also while summoning three flying pumpkin heads and George XIII at the same time.

Oh shit, she's serious about this.

"_Gah! She's really serious about this! If this keeps up, she's really going to kill me!"_

"**Heh. Now _this_ is a fight! Man up there, kid! Just break free of this stupid excuse of a grip and kick her ass!"**

Raim knew that already and, with the help of the dark aura around him, managed to break free and landed on the soft garden, immediately rolling forward in order to dodge the consecutive lightning of the Sword Iris.

"So...you're taking this seriously at last, huh?"

"...I don't need to answer to trash." she simply replied...along with lightning.

"Hey, rabbit! Don't you think you're going overboard this time?" Ragna asked.

"Ragna...if you don't want to suffer...dire consequences, I suggest you close your mouth. Now." she said...no, she _ordered_ him.

And Ragna knew better. He simply didn't speak any more.

"Well, I suppose I screwed the pooch. I wanted her to be angry, but not _this_ angry."

"**Sucks to be you. But hell, you can still win...ignoring some broken limbs, I suppose."**

"That doesn't make me feel any better..." Raim sighed as he dodged the oncoming storm just by sheer agility and sense of survival.


	6. About damn time

KRAKOOM!

"Shit!" I grunted while dodging the deadly lightning strikes.

Rachel hovered in middle of the red garden, looking at me with both disgust and boredom. Small sparks cracked near her as she continued her assault towards me. It seems my body can now feel when a lightning is going to be thrown next, so I gained a certain awareness of lightning.

Perhaps it's because my body doesn't want any electric trauma anymore...

"**When are you going to stop running, kid? Do something already!"**

"I'm trying! I can't see any hole in her defense!

I jumped back, but the rabbit bitch drew the wind near her as she released multiple of those strange seeds that grow into scepters. Due to the wind, my body was forcefully located in the middle of three pink scepters.

"...This is going to suck, isn't it?

KRAKOOM!

"Son of a-!" I cursed as rolled away from the incoming lightning.

Miraculously, I survived. However, I watched in horror as more of those seeds landed around my current location. There were eight in total, and that's just terrible...

"...*sigh*"

"...Giving up already?" Rachel questioned me. "Not only you are nothing but an excuse of a human being, but you're this weak also. You know what? I should just stop talking and take you out of your misery."

Alright, insane situations call for insane solutions.

I started plucking the scepters out!

"What?" Rachel raised an eyebrow at my actions.

"**The hell?"**

"_...Are you doing? !"_Kraid finished the sentence nicely.

Saving our asses.

"Fool." Valkenheyn commented from afar. "You think you could stop Madam Rachel's attacks just by taking the scepters out of the ground? It saddens me to say this, but your struggle is futile. Wherever it is, be it the ground, the air or even underwater, the scepters will always guide my madam attacks with dire precision."

"I didn't ask for an exposition, ass kisser." I sighed. "I don't care what you say. I have my own plans."

...And I hope my plan works. I focused high quantities of that dark energy the bastard gave me into the scepters.

"Sword Iris!" Rachel declared ominously.

Crap!

KRAKOOM!

* * *

Third's PoV

...Okay, that was excessive, even for Rachel. Anger really does some wonders in fights...you know. Anywho, the lightning strikes raised several quantities of dust that covered Raim's body. Nobody knew if he made it alive out of that attack, but Rachel seemed satisfied.

"Finally. This ridiculous charade is over." she elegantly landed next to her table. Valkenhayn walked next to her.

"A most wonderful display of power, madam. I'm very glad that I am your humble servant."

"Thank you, Valkenhayn." Rachel smiled. "Now that this is over, I love to have more te-"

"HELL'S FANG!" a voice sounded through the garden. And it wasn't Ragna.

Nobody expected Raim coming out of the dust cloud, while having his left arm surrounded in darkness and, in his other hand, he was holding both Kraid and one of Rachel's scepters, darkness surrounding it too. Rachel quickly reacted by putting Nago in front of her as a shield. Raim just stabbed the ground with the scepter and _headbutted _Nago, KO'd him.

Rachel prepared herself to unleash another Baden Baden Lily as she started floating. Raim wasn't having any of that shit. He stabbed the dark scepter in the ground and used it as a step to reach Rachel, much to her surprise. However, he missed.

"...! You...!"

Then he noticed that the Baden Baden Lily was about to scorch him so he threw Kraid...

_"WHAT? !"_

...to intercept the thunder!

BLOCK!

"Okay...I'm pretty sure that isn't how reality works..." Ragna deadpanned as he looked at the bizarre scene.

Kraid returned to Raim's hand as Rachel started landing. It was in that small frame of time that Raim rushed towards her, plucked out the darkened scepter and with it, blocked Rachel's attacks carefully. She summoned George XIII, but Raim just kicked it towards Rachel.

She used Silpheed again to fumble George XIII away, but Raim dashed forward and used the scepter as a spear, trying to impale Rachel, which retaliated by using Gii as a living shield. But since he was using Kraid too, Rachel was being forced to the defensive.

"_Well, this isn't going as I expected..."_ she thought.

And that's when they noticed they were near the place Ragna was forced to sit.

"Ragna, get out of the chair!"

"Huh? Why? !"

Raim didn't say anything more as he pushed Ragna out of the chair without explanation as she dodged Rachel's attacks (that involved Gii being using as some sort of...red spear thing).

"Sword Iris!"

Raim expected the lightning to come from the sky, but he didn't expect that it would come directly from Gii. It hit Raim's left arm, making him lose his grip of Kraid and shattered the scepter. The bokuto starting spinning in the air as Rachel prepared a second Spear Sword Iris...yeah, that's what I'm calling that now.

However, she forgot about a single detail. Raim had a chair now.

SMACK!

"Wha-?" Rachel was stunned as Raim smashed the whole chair at Gii, sending him flying far, far away. I mean, wow. He quickly blocked Rachel's movements by locking her arm on the chair as Kraid started to fall down. He quickly grabbed it as brought it dangerously close to her neck.

Remember kids, a chair can be really useful in a fight. Just ask Jackie Chan.

"Checkmate, bitch. Next time, check if you actually killed your target."

...Okay, how the hell did he survive the attack from before again? *ahem* Let me explain...

In a desperate attempt to disrupt the trajectory of the lightning, Raim had the brilliant idea to infuse some of Glid's dark aura into the scepters, managing to save his ass when several of them impacted into the garden. The dust cloud left him with a lot of advantage since he could recall where Rachel was and, because you obviously use your ears instead of your eyes in this situation.

Next, since he saw Ragna's Hell's Fang firsthand, he tried to replicate using the dark aura in order to surround his fist. It **did** work, but it wasn't perfect. He applied too much of it that, although it made it more powerful, the pressure almost crushed his hand. _Almost._

"Mongrel! Get your dirty hands off my mistress!" Valkenhayn growled as he dashed forward, his teeth showing he was _pretty _pissed about this.

"I beat you fair and square." Raim didn't pay him attention. "Hell, you even committed the mistake of not checking that I was alive..."

He's getting closer...

"...and now your butler wants to fight in your stead, but it won't matter anymore since I won..."

He jumped!

"...andifyouanswermyquestionsI'llgoaway!"

Oh god, here's comes the ki-!

"Valkenhayn, stop."

And violating all laws of physics, Valky stopped in mid-air, without suffering any effect of inertia. How the hell...?

"...But madam!" he protested.

"No buts, Valkenhayn. I understand your dilemma. Even I cannot stand this excuse of a human being." Rachel closed her eyes, trying to delude her mind into believing this situation wasn't happening and that all that had happened was just a dream."

"**Excuse? Well, this "excuse" just kicked your ass!"**

Rachel innerly sighed. It wasn't a dream.

"Er...technically, I didn't kick her ass. I just forced her to surrender with the right words." Raim explained.

"And for that, I'm ashamed of myself." Rachel closed her eyes.

"**Heh. Sucks to be you, Energizer."**

"...What." that was all Rachel could mutter.

And, Energizer? Why did you... oh. Oh, I understand. Carry on.

"...You will refrain yourself of giving me nicknames such as...that."

"**Oh come on. It fits you."**

No, really. It really does.

"...You do want answers, don't you?" Rachel threatened.

"Okay, Glid, shut up." Raim finally spoke. "Alright, Energizer, speak."

"...Ugh."

* * *

Episode 6: About damn time

* * *

Meanwhile...several levels under Kagutsuchi...

"Tch!" Jin grunted as he released several ice blades towards Litchi. He wasn't on the mood of speaking at all.

And Litchi was wondering how could she get out of this mess. Since ice shards were slowly covering the ground and walls, Litchi was having a hard time keeping her balance while trying to control her Matenbou with precision. It was failing.

"All Green!" Litchi shouted as she released a stream of green energy to block the incoming ice attacks. Then she noticed that Jin was RIDING THE ICEC-...*ahem* using Crystal Strike to avoid the All Green and move faster towards Litchi. She brought her Matenbou in front of her to block the first strike and when Jin jumped out of the Icec-...Crystal Strike, she stepped back in order to evade a slash from Yukianesa.

However, Litchi's movement was severely limited since her muscles started contraining due to the sheer cold of the frozen sewer. Some of the fauna around here started **dying **due to it. Guess we know now how it did felt in Ikaruga.

"*pant* *pant* _It's freezing in here...! I don't think I can keep fighting like this..._" Litchi said while looking at her surroundings. Why Jin didn't suffer the effects of the cold atmosphere was beyond her. Perhaps being a cold bastard makes you immune to cold, but what the hell.

"...Answer. Where's Ragna the Bloodedge?"

Dude doesn't give up, does he?

"I have told you before, I don't know anything about it!" Litchi protested. "Please, I only wish to..."

"Your wishes are of no concern of mine." Jin replied coldly. "Now, die already!"

Litchi looked at her surroundings. The only exit in all the sewer was blocked by a thick wall of ice and Jin was still spamming ice blade over ice blade. Even if she was constantly jumping around, dodging the ice swords while using her Mattenbou to try to at least attack Jin, but he dodging both the Mattenbou and her kicks with a cold elegance (if that's even possible) that lowered Litchi's morale.

At this rate, she's gonna die.

"*pant* *pant* He's...so strong..."

"Hmph." Jin scoffed. "Is that really all you've got? How pathetic. This has being a complete waste of my time. Last warning, where is Ragna?"

Litchi could've sworn that Jin, for an instant, looked deranged when he mentioned the Death God, but for her, that wasn't important. Arakune was there. She could see it! After many tries, she finally found him! If she could just distract Jin for some seconds, maybe she...

"Touga Hyoujin!"

Litchi's thoughts were interrupted by the fast ice wave. She wall-jumped to evade it and Jin used that opportunity to use release three ice blades at her. She countered by summoning her Mattenbou in front of her.

"The Great Wheel!" Litchi shouted as her Mattenbou grew in size and started spinning, shattering the ice blades in mid-air. She then moved her Mattenbou towards Jin, as he dodged the erratic strikes, this time with a little more effort.

"I have you know!" Litchi shouted as her Mattenbou started falling directly towards Jin.

Jin didn't even look up. He just created an ice arrow out of nowhere and aimed at the falling Mattenbou.

"Hiyoku Getsumei!" Jin shouted as he let go of the ice arrow.

It seems Jin is not only skilled, but can use the terrain at his advantage since not only he hit the Mattenbou directly and pin it into the wall, but ricocheted several times, this time heading towards Litchi.

She dodged it by inches, but...

"Shatter." Jin declared.

And in response, the ice arrow "exploded" as simple as that. The ice shards pinned Litchi towards a wall, making her unable to escape. A trick arrow, huh?

...Wait, does this make him like Ar-

"It's futile." Jin interrupted (me!). "Now...die!"

CRACK!

"What?"

Suddenly, a giant plating came crashing down fiercely, blocking Jin's path. The shaking of the ground managed to shatter the ice surrounding Litchi. However, at this point, Arakune had recovered and used that moment to escape.

"No!" Litchi cried out. "Come back!"

However, the whole sewer was collapsing and there was no time to follow him. Jin was cutting down the giant pieces of metal that threatened to crush him as he made haste to get out of there. Litchi knew that there was no point of staying there anymore so she also tried to get away.

"...I will not give. I'll find a way to save you!"

And with that, she ran away.

...But where the hell did that plating came from?

* * *

Above, in Ronin-gai...

"Scruffy man!"

"Boss Bang! What just happened? Did you just trip while holding the plating?"

"Eh? ! N-No, you got it all wrong!" Bang stood up quickly. "I was...eh...practicing a new technique. That's right! I was practicing a new technique!"

"A technique involving tripping...sir?" the brown ninja seemed skeptical.

"O-Of course! After all, one must be smart enough to trick the enemy, making any battle easier!" he boasted.

"Is that true, scruffy man? It seems that you just tripped on your own, meow!"

"Hehehe..." Bang just scratched the back of his head. "Well, let's forget about that. Besides, whenever that plating fell, I'm sure it didn't harm anyone at all."

_...Delicious_ irony.

"Well, who wants to eat lunch? Don't worry, I'll pay for everything!"

"MEOW! That's awesome, scruffy man!"

"Wow. Really, boss? !" the ninja shouted in unison.

"But of course. After all, what kind of leader I am if I don't treat my subordinates with the right respect?"

...He may be a moron, but he's a true father to his men.

"Come on. Let us go eat!"

A collective cheer filled the air.

* * *

Raim's PoV

...*sigh* So much trouble in order to force a snob like her to talk...

"Alright...you might start by telling me where the hell can I go back to my dimension or something like that?"

"My goodness. Is that even a question? And I was tricked by the likes of you? Rubbish!" Energizer said. "Also, claiming you come from another world? You're obviously delusional. A shame that my lightning couldn't spark any intelligence in that brain of yours."

"Hey now." I interrupted.

"Ugh, would you _please _get this over with?" Ragna spoke up. "Look, rabbit, I have more important shit to do than staying here So, if you would just make this ea-"

"Now now, Ragna. This is a conversation between a dignified lady and a rat."

...*sigh*

"...You just lost and you can still snark? Dammit. _Now_I know why are you a pain in the ass." Ragna commented.

Word.

"**Whatever. Hey, Energizer! Speak up already! As Rags, I don't have time to even shit! So get this over with already!"**

...You can't shit. You're just a...err...I don't know exactly what you are yet...

"Hmph! If answering your questions is all that it takes to get rid of you as fast as I can, then so be it." Energizer (damn, it's catchy.) looked at me sternly. "Alright, let us suppose that your delusions that you come from another dimension are true..."

They are **true**.

"...then, if your primitive mind is so set on getting out of this world, then you should try going to the Gate."

In that moment, Ragna's head jerked up in alert.

"What? Hey, rabbit, you're saying th-"

"Quiet, Ragna." Energizer just raised her hand to shut up Ragna, you just growled back.

"**Alright. So...where's this shitty gate?"**

"Oh, why not ask Ragna? After all, he's the one who has being destroying several Cauldrons this past day."

Cauldron? The hell's that? ...Nevermind. I won't meddle in his goals.

"Rabbit, shut up already." Ragna frowned. "Look, I don't have time for play babysitter here."

HEY!

"**Goddammit... well, since Rags here doesn't want to say shit, why don't you tell us Energizer?" **Glid said.

"...I refuse to speak if you keep referring me with that silly nickname..."

"Okay, ignore the bastard already." I interrupted. "Besides, the faster you answer my questions...Rachel, the faster I'll get out of here...Even I can't stand looking at you..."

"Strange minds think alike." Rachel closed her eyes. "Very well. I'm feeling...very apologetic today. If you want to find the Gate to the Boundary, you only need to head towards the NOL headquarters. Tagging along with Ragna is an option, mind you."

Boundary? Is it the same "Boundary" I know? ...Screw it. I don't have time for that.

What matters is...I know now where to go...at least. I'm not sure if this "Gate" is safe enough...Well, I must at least try.

Valkenhayn started serving tea at Rachel, which started drinking almost as delicately as a doll. This odd scene reminds me of both Remilia and Sakuya...

...I wonder what everyone's doing?

"Alright, now I...wait..." I noticed something. "Where's the damn exit? !"

"Rabbit. Send us back. _Now._"

"*sigh* If that's the extent of your social skills, then I'm afraid of what awaits you, Ragna. *chuckle* But seen you struggle like that is always entertaining."

"Rachel!" Ragna started to get pissed. "Send us back already!"

"...Fine. Just keep your mouth shut. You hurting my delicate ears?"

"**Delicate? Hah! Really? That's the best joke I have heard in all the day! Seriously, though, you're just a whiny bit-"**

****

**

* * *

**

Third's PoV

Both Raim and Ragna were sucked by a temporal distortion that Rachel created since Glid pressed the correct buttons. When they were gone, Rachel felt suddenly at peace.

"...Goodness! He's almost as irritating as Terumi...And that's just terrible."

"But at least, they are now gone, madam." Valkenhayn commented. "Now everything shall return to normal, don't you think?"

Rachel agreeded with that.

"Yes...everything back to normal..."

But normality wasn't a thing Rachel cherished. She only wished that the time reset would stop for once. Seeing the same scenery again and again and again...irked Rachel, even if she doesn't show it.

"...Valkenhayn."

"What is it, madam?"

"...Do you think this madness will ever stop?" Rachel said, referring to the constant looping.

"Well, if you want my opinion, madam, I think that everything will solve by itself." Valkenhayn tried to dissuade her mistress' doubts, but he noticed it wasn't effective.

"...Perhaps. Perhaps we need a spark. And no, that rabid dog does not count."

"Indeed."

Rachel closed her eyes for a minute.

"Valkenhayn, after tea time, I'll be leaving again." Rachel continued. "I expect that everything is in order after my return."

"But of course, madam."

* * *

Raim's PoV

...

...

...

...Where the hell am I?

"Ugh... Dammit, rabbit! Why do you always interrupt me like that?"

Correction. Where the hell are we?

"_I don't want to sound rude, but don't look down."_

...What do you mean by- HOLY SHIT!

"Sweet Jesus! How the hell did we end up here?"

"Huh?" Ragna blinked as he looked downwards. "Argh! Stupid rabbit!"

We...we are on top of a giant Buddha stone statue. Really. I'm not making this up.

"**Well, this is weird. Okay, screw that. Where the hell do we need to go again?"**

"The NOL branch in Kagutsuchi." I answered. "Guess it's located on the upper levels."

I looked up. Even if we are on top of a giant Buddha, I can't still see the top levels. Hell, this place is incomplete! Only the higher levels are very well built. Compared to Orient Town and the sewers, the top levels are like a high tech city on its own.

...Seems they really have a superiority complex, the assholes...

"Whatever. I'm outta here." Ragna said, trying to climb down. "Lucky for us, I think we are next the exit of Orient Town so I guess the rabbit isn't a total bitch like I thought..."

"**Really?"**

"Nah. She's still annoying sometimes." Ragna smiled.

Amen.

* * *

"Alright..." I said, after both of us managed to climb down the Buddha. "Guess it's a straight line from here on, right Ragna?"

"...To my dismay, yes. Yes it is. And I guess I can't say anything in order to get rid of you, right kid?" he added.

"True. And stop calling me kid. What, you want me to call you Death God from now on?"

"Touché." Ragna just walked forward. I follow suit.

"**I really hope those lawful assholes are expecting us. I'm itching for seeing some blood rain!"**

"One recommendation, Raim, find a psychologist." Ragna commented.

"I don't think that'll be enough to get rid of this guy..."

"_I second that." _Kraid commented.

"Also...don't steal other person's moves. Seriously, don't you know how frustrating is that?"

"Hey, at least mine's a different version. I'm not Marisa, you know."

"Who?"

"...Forget it."

"By the way...who's that other guy? The one who's talking right now."

"...Alright, this is going to be a looooong story."

* * *

Third's PoV

"Linhua, I'm back." Litchi gently entered the clinic, the smell of medicine entering her nostrils. "Do we have a patient?"

"Doctor? You're back! And just in time! Here, I need you to take a look at him!"

Litchi blinked as she ran towards the next room. In there, a bruised Carl lied over the bed, along with Nirvana.

"My goodness! What happened to him?" Litchi looked over his injuries, sighing in relief as these were non-fatal.

"Well, long story short, this kid here is a vigilante that tried to fight the Death God and the foreigner in middle of that Chinese restaurant we normally go. The place was left a wreck, I might add." Linhua said.

"This kid...a vigilante? What is the world coming too, having small boys like him to be vigilantes?"

I agree.

"Nevermind. Linhua, fetch me the medicines from the top drawer."

"On it." Linhua nodded as she rushed towards the drawer.

"...Uh..."

Oh, it seems Carl's is waking up.

"...Sis? Where are you?" Carl muttered as he opened his eyes. "Huh? Where...am I?"

"In a clinic." Litchi's voice was soft. "Please, refrain from moving. Your wounds haven't closed yet."

"...Who are you?" Carl asked, sitting up on his bed. "What...happened?"

* * *

"I see..." Carl nodded as he listened to the whole ordeal he had just experienced. "So, you're saying Noel-san brought me here along with Miss Kitty, right? I wish to tell them how grateful I am but..."

Carl knew too well that he threatened Noel in order to gather information about Ragna the Bloodedge. He still can't believe he did that. Noel didn't meant him any harm. Then, why?

"Something wrong?"

"It's nothing." Carl shook her head. "Anyways, I must be on my way. Come on, sis." he said to Nirvana, a fact that Litchi noticed.

And she wasn't comfortable with the idea. There was something...wrong with that doll.

"Wait. That...doll you are carrying...where did you get it?"

"My sister is **not **a doll!" Carl snapped. That caused some of his wounds to open. "Ugh!"

"I told you not to move!" Litchi scolded him as she brought more bandages to replace the others.

"...Sorry, I just don't like when my sister is called that. Please, understand that...err..."

"Litchi-Faye Ling. You can call me Litchi."

"Miss Litchi." Carl started. "I apologize for my behavior just now. But I have to ask you to let me go. I...have something to do."

"In that state, your injuries will get worse if you get in another fight like that. I understand that you're a vigilante, but please, don't exert yourself."

Carl blinked. Apart from her sister, this was the first time an adult was kind to him. Memories of when he was just a normal boy back at the academy flowed through his mind. Those peaceful days...he wished to go back to those days...before her sister was...was...

"_No, I shouldn't think about that..." _Carl pulled himself together. "I understand. I won't exert myself, so you don't have to worry, miss Litchi."

Litchi sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness you understand. I'm going to check the other patients, but if you need anything, don't doubt on calling me."

With that, Litchi was gone.

"..." Carl was left in deep thought. He then looked at the figure of her 'sister', still immobile next to him. "Don't you worry, sis. When I recover, we'll continue our search for Ragna the Bloodedge. The Azure is the only thing that can save you. But don't worry, the two of us together can beat anyone."

Well...in gameplay...

* * *

Raim's PoV

"Let me get this straight..." Ragna rubbed his eyebrows. "You're telling me that the voice that isn't an asshole comes from that wooden sword that you picked from a giant rock inside another dimension..and the psycho just appeared inside your head one of those days and _may_ possess you...okay, seriously, did we even _had_ this conversation?"

"Yes, Ragna." I was unamused by his reaction. "The problem is that you're not believing it...not that I blame you, I was expecting you to go batshit crazy because of how stupid this all sounds."

"...And I almost did..." Ragna muttered. "You know what? Screw it. We just need to go to the Cauldron and this headache will end."

**"Heh, fine by me."**

"Are you sure this is the way?"

"Well, according to the tourist guide I just grabbed, this was the right way." Ragna commented. "So I'm pretty sure we are right on track."

"**You should have tortured him a little bit. He might've given us some useful info, you know."**

"For your information only, I'm not that psychopathic. Besides, I just wanted to know where the hell I was, so keep those comments to yourself." Nice comeback, Ragna.

"**Feh. Spoilsport."**

Well, I'm starting to doubt that tourist guide since we are now inside some sort of museum, with its own dinosaur skeleton and everything. Some old vehicles, a tube (huh...), a...church organ? There's some weird shit in here, too. I mean, what the hell is this?

"_Looks like a four__ eyed dog." _Kraid said. "_Hey, look here."_

I looked down.

'"Large quantities of seithr cause severe mutations in fauna, as showed with this replica of a seithr infused hound. Up to now, nobody can reverse the effects of seithr in one's organism, though there's still hope in the refinement of better Ars Magus in the future."'

So this seithr is not only nocive, but can also create mutations? That's some dangerous shit.

"Okay, enough of the history lesson. It's almost night already...Dammit, I think we're going to arrive too late." Ragna snarled.

Late for what?

"**Hey, that a badass picture over there."**

"*sigh* Now what?"

I was looking at a really big picture of a multi-headed snake, burning a city to ashes. It looked menacing and badass at the same time. Next to it, there were six figures, jumping towards it as if they were suicidal, since going all out against a giant thing like that is...well, suicide.

"**Those guys sure had balls of steel. No, seriously." **

"Are you done already? Seriously, if I knew we were going to make detours like this, I'd never agree to bring you along."

"Alright, I'm done. Lead the way, Ragna."

Ragna groaned. He was starting to get impatient.

Man, this trip is getting boring fast...for an instance, I wished _something_ to happen. But then again, it's better that it doesn't.

CRASH!

...*sigh* Why did I think about it?

"Aw crap." Ragna resumed my thoughts brilliantly. "Great. Just when I thought this day was going smooth."

Several wannabe vigilantes popped out of everywhere. The doors, the ceiling and even the windows. Hey now...I suppose you're going to fix that.

"Geez Ragna, I never thought you were _so _popular." I snarked.

"Shut up, Raim."

Let's see...two against twenty, huh? Well, seeing how clumsy they entered and how cliché this whole scene is, this _might_ be a cakewalk.

"There he is! Ragna the Bloodedge!" one of the vigilantes holding a machine gun said. "The SS-class criminal!"

SS-class? ! Damn, you're really popular around here. Hey, I wonder what rank I have...

"Huh? Hey, isn't that the guy who blew up Orient Town this afternoon?" one

"He is? Huh, I didn't notice."

What.

"Well, according to the NOL, he might be just a common thief..."

WHAT? !

"Oh yeah...now I remember. He's the "Foreigner", a D-class. In other words, the lowest of the low. Just a useless kid who doesn't even have a catchy reward on his head.

THAT. IS. IT!

* * *

Third's PoV

Oh shit. **Now** you really done it.

"What?" the vigilante who just dissed Raim looked in confusion as Raim put on his headphones. "What are you doing, you punk? !"

Raim started tapping his feet, much to Ragna and the others' confusion. Seriously, if someone just insulted you, would you do this sort of thing? Raim, what the hell?

"Look, he's scared!" No, I don't think he is. "Hey, you three go take care of him. The rest of us will take of the Death God." the leader of the vigilante troop said.

"You know, I wouldn't do that if I were you. It's your choice if this will be your last day alive!" Ragna remarked as he drew Blood-Scythe menacingly.

"[Oh~ Let's go!]" Raim shouted. In English? You can speak English?

What.

"[Steve walks warily down the street,

with the brim pulled down low...]"

"...Raim? What in the name of insanity are you doing? !" Ragna, you took the words out of my mouth. "And what language is that? !"

Wait...are you singing "Another One Bites The Dust"? ! Seriously? !

"[Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet,

machines guns ready to go...]"

Well, they have machine guns, but come on!

"Boys! Shut him up already!" the leader commanded.

"[Are you ready, are you ready for this,

are you hanging at your edge of your seat?]" Raim continued singing.

"Open fire!" the three of them shouted. Hey, that's Chris Redfield's attack from Marvel vs. Capcom 3!

"[Out of the doorway the bullets rip...]"

The cannon fodder that were the vigilantes started firing. They all missed as Raim dodged and blocked the bullets with Kraid.

"[To the sound of the beat, yeah~!]" he finished while jumping over a Greek pillar.

The others, meanwhile, circled Ragna and proceeded with cau...oh no, they're charging in like idiots. Our mooks, ladies and gentleman!

SLASH!

"Argh!"

See? Ragna slashed his arm clean off because of his stupidity. He then offhand backhanded another vigilante who used in a katana effortlessly. He used a Death Spike to drive back other vigilantes towards a wall. Ragna sure felt annoyed how these guys were stupid enough to face him.

SLAM!

Ragna stepped back as the body of one of the gunner vigilantes was slammed to the ground.

"[Another one bites the dust!]"

CRACK!

Okay, Raim, _that _was excessive. Come on, you just don't stomp on a mook's skull! What do you think he is, a Goomba?

Oh crap, he's looking at another one. And why did he grabbed the same guy? Oh no...

"[Another one bites the dust!]"

Aaaannnddd he homeruned a poor mook through the window... Sweet Jesus...

"[And another gone...]"

SLAM!

"[And another gone...]"

CRACK!

"[Another one bites the dust!]" Raim threw the unconscious mook towards the other vigilantes near Ragna.

"Hey, watch it!" Ragna growled back. "You almost hit me, you asshole!"

"Sorry." Raim answered. "*ahem*"

He continued singing...now looking at the rest of vigilantes as they looked at them as if they were demons.

"[Hey, I'm gonna get you too...]"

They started shaking as he said that. Both Ragna and him did a jump kick towards two of the armed vigilantes, _who just stood there without shooting._

Fear can make people do stupid things.

CRACK!

"[Another one bites the dust!]" Raim finished the chorus as the two bodies of the vigilantes crashed into a car _strikingly _similar to the Bluesmobile. Seriously.

BOOM!

When did someone threw a grenade? !

"Dammit! These guys are really annoying!" Ragna grunted as he shielded his eyes from the dust...

So, he almost bit the dust...Oh god, that joke was awful.

"[How do you think I'm gonna get along without you when you're gone?]" Raim, stop it. You're getting annoying. "[You took me for everything that I had and kicked me out on my own!]" ...even if you're suplexing the vigilantes.

...*sigh*

"[Are you happy? Are you satisfied? How long can you stand the heat?]" Seriously, that's enough!

CRACK!

"Argh! Mah tounge! Mah tounge!" Raim cried out as Ragna punched him in the head, making him bite his tongue. "Wha teh hell did ou do that? !"

Thanks you, Ragna.

"Shut up! You're really getting on my nerves by singing a song from Queen like that!"

Yeah, you tell him, Ragna. He shouldn't d-...wait, what?

"...Agna?" Raim blinked too. "Ou...Ou know WEEN? !"

"...Err..."

Oh god, this HAS to be a joke.

BOOM!

"Shit!" both of them cursed at more grenades exploded. Then, the sound of gunfire alerted them. "Crap! This is a really bad situation...!"

"Really? Thanks, Ragna, I didn't notice!" Raim snarked.

"Raim, I have no time for your bullsh-!"

He was cut short as they both ducked several bullets.

**"Dammit, I hate being the sitting duck here!" **Glid was getting annoyed because of their current situation. **"Also, you guys have worse aim that a stormtrooper, you faggots!"**

"Good god, you bastard! Don't taunt them." Raim snapped. Great, his tongue is back in action...Oh god, that sounded so wrong.

Knowing that just saying there was completely stupid, both of them moved away from the dust cloud, shielding themselves behind a giant statue with wings. However, the bullets were slowly chipping away part of it so they knew that they needed a plan quick...or else.

"_Huh? Hey, guys, check that out!" _Kraid said. _"Right next to the statue!"_

A silver scooter was encased inside a really fragile looking glass, spared from the chaos occurring in that moment. Ragna smiled as he smashed the glass with his fist.

"**Yeah, that looks like a good idea, but shouldn't these things come with keys?"**

Raim looked next to the scooter. A small glass case holding a small key was displayed, almost as if the owners of the museum thought it was a really old relic. Raim grinned as he broke the glass with Kraid.

"_Uh...guys?" _Kraid interrupted as both of them were trying to turn on the scooter, while bullets were whistling dangerously near to their ears. "_You're forgetting that...next to the key case."_

Both of the wanted man looked towards _another _case (this joke is getting old...) holding a pair of silver helmets, perfect for this situation. How awfully convenient...Hmm...

And of course, both Raim and Ragna cut this one up quickly.

* * *

In the other side of the museum...

"Did we got him?" one of the vigilantes said, halting his firearm frenzy. "I...I think we got him!"

"You sure?" another interrupted. "I-I don't know, man! He's the freaking Death God! I think we should continue shooting, just in case!"

"Bah! Don't be ridiculous."

Err...actually, try to listen to that guy. Honestly, when you're a mook, you don't really use your brain, do you?

*engine roar*

"Huh? What was that?"

*louder engine roar*

"I'm not sure! What is going on here? !" several of the enemy fooder...I mean, vigilantes, stepped back in confusion...and slight hint of fear. After all, Ragna's..._reputation _helped a little.

*_even louder_ engine roar*

"HIT IT!" Raim's voice was commanding.

CRASH!

And all of the vigilantes were...confused as Raim and Ragna came out of the dust cloud riding a scooter. Ragna on the wheel and Raim on the back, with Kraid in hand.

"S-Shoot! Shoot, dammit!"

SLASH!

They were too slow. Or perhaps the scooter was really damn fast. Or perhaps Raim's adrenaline has gone haywire.

**"Aw, come on! You missed the head! I demand decapitation!"**

"Hey, shut up!" Ragna _really _didn't have the time to listen to his bullshit. "Look, I have things to do, so I don't have the luxury to stay in this goddamn junk pile." Ragna said as he maneuvered skillfully through the crossfire, while using Blood-Scythe as a shield...and to cut down several vigilantes that pissed him off.

The collective screams of terror continued, but this time, it was joined with a sense of desperation. They started using grenades once again and some others tried to use butchered Ars to counter attack. Raim blocked several bullets like he was Goemon from Lupin the 3rd and kicked the grenades out of range, much for the dismay of the vigilantes that were _in front_ of the blast radius.

Toasty.

Ragna also improvised. He tried to use Dead Spike while at that kind of speed and created some sort of chasing jaws of darkness. A better example would be that he just summoned a shark that could swim on land and that emanated more hate than the Hatedom of Twilight. I mean, damn! Those **are** some big jaws!

"Holy sh-!"

CRACK!

The wall was completely obliterated, not a trace of vigilante left alive.

"Damn...that's some dangerous shit you have there." Raim commented as he ducked to avoid receiving a headshot.

"...Enough of that. Let's just find an exit. I'm sure those idiots blocked the entrance. And I really hate when they do that."

Raim looked up to the giant dinosaur skeleton from before. He followed the trail of his back and up to his head...and saw the light.

"Ragna, climb the dinosaur."

And guess what was Ragna's answer?

"...What." Ragna was so confused by that statement that he stopped the scooter. "Raim...this isn't one of those suicidal stunts of yours, is it?"

"Look, do you want these sons of bitches to keep shooting at us?"

Ragna sighed.

"I knew you could understand my idea." Raim said.

"The problem is that I have a bad feeling about this..."

Ragna accelerated once more, this time jumping towards the dino fossil riding its back. With due honesty, I believe that if that dinosaur was alive, this would've been a really awesome moment.

"T-That's crazy! In many ways than it should!" one of the vigilantes sumed up this situation brilliantly.

CRASH!

And many people outside saw the Death God and the Foreigner flying through the sky while riding a silver scooter. At this point, everyone was so confused by that image that...really, nobody even dared to say something to make this moment at least saner...


	7. Breaking in

"...Oh Ragna. How tragic that you, of all people, are cooperating with this...fool." Rachel sighed as she watched the scene from above the clouds, by using Nago as a parachute chair (don't ask).

The wind was gently grazing her hair. Nobody noticed her dignified figure over the sky as she sighed as she, once again, suffers from one condition that affects us no matter what.

Boredom.

"...Dull."

"You said something, princess?" Nago asked.

"I was just thinking how dull all of this farce is..." Rachel said.

"But princess..." Gii interrupted. "Did you just had a fig-?"

SLAP!

"OW!"

"Gii. You'd better refrain from speaking about that...incident, if you know what's better for you." Rachel was really ticked off by that comment, but she didn't show it.

"Y-Yes. I'm sorrryyy!" Gii cried.

She continued looking at the ridiculous scene of Raim and Ragna jumping from rooftop to rooftop at high speeds. The screams were heard at this altitude, for God's sake! She started looking at the horizon. The sun was hiding and it seemed like the night will arrive sooner that she thought.

"Oh... He was right."

Rachel blinked. At this altitude, there shouldn't be any kind of lifeform that could talk to her. But there it was, a woman wearing purple and white clothing, a puffy hat and holding and umbrella...wait a minute...

"Hm? Oh, am I interrupting something?"

...This is impossible. You can't be here!

"...What?" Rachel's curiosity came back to life.

"Oh my. Well, this is an interesting sight." the woman said, sitting over...look, just think of a "gap" in mid-air, alright? "Listen, I don't have all the time of the world, just tell me, have you seen a...very uneducated kid around here?"

Rachel managed to surpress a sigh. Doing so would be out of character for her. Nevertheless...

"So what if I have seen such a subject?" she answered, in a manner that anyone might think she was uninterested to answer. "As a matter of fact, I'm not obliged to answer to you, am I? Even though you're an interesting being, I have not the time for..."

"Oh~?" she grinned. "So he has already met you, I see..."

Wait wait wait...how the hell do you know that? !

"How do...?"

"I know that?" she answered. "Simple. You were annoyed because I mentioned him. That guy has the strange ability to infuriate those he face."

Tell me about it...

"...Who are you?" Rachel sternly asked.

The women smiled to herself.

"Me? Well, perhaps you'll cooperate if I introduce myself..." she paused. "The name's Yukari Yakumo, little girl."

...

**...You're freaking shitting me...**

* * *

Episode 8 : Breaking in is something you should do

* * *

Raim's PoV

Gah!

...What was that?

"**The hell's wrong with you? What, you need to pee?"**

"Hell no! ...It's just..." How should I put it... "Well, it seemed like there was a disturbance..."

**"In the force?"**

"You're better than that. Stop mocking me." I corrected him. "It felt like...if something really wrong just happened."

"Not that I care, but...WE. ARE. BEING. SHOT AT!" Ragna interrupted my...

(ZOOM!)

Holy shit! That's a lot of bullets! Even if we are jumping from rooptop to rooftop in this scooter, these guys are still chasing us.

"Don't worry. I think we can lose them after we manage to get out of Orient Town!" Ragna said with a reassuring tone. "Look, the limit is right there."

Really?

...Hey, I can see it! ...And those lawful bastards are there too...This sucks.

"**Hey Rags, try using that Death Spike thing again!"**

I think Ragna was thinking the same thing since he unleashed a Death Spike as soon as he could. Damn, those bodies _really_ can fly. He also blew up the gate! This guy is really strong!

"Hang on!" he said while accelerating, the sound of gunfire diminishing every second.

And so...we were out of Orient Town (Finally!). Well, I suppose that know, we need to head towards the NOL headquarters. Should be the biggest building of the top levels. How do I know? Hey, if these guys are in control of this place, **that's** the logical answer.

Ragna sped up until he could manage to see the gate no more. The stark contrast between the levels is staggering. The feeling you get in Orient Town is like a normal...town (Redundancy!), with some people actually being pretty decent. But the area we are right now...it feels kind of...elegant. Open space, strangely eerie silence, a wall...

...Wait, what?

* * *

Third's PoV

"Dammit! He isn't here either!" Jin kicked a trash can in frustration as he noticed that Ragna was nowhere to be seen.

Jin emerged from the collapsed sewers just by the exit of Orient Town. His frustration was really big, I might add...

"Tch! I wasted too much time fighting that bitch..." Jin remembered. "It's like if everything in the world is trying to prevent me to find my brother!"

Well... Even I don't know what to say about that.

BOOM!

"Hmm? !" Jin stood in his feet as tremors started spreading around Orient Town. Shortly after, they stopped. "What was that?"

He then noticed several of the residents look far away, not so far away from the gate of Orient Town. There were several screams as the bodies of the vigilantes from before were left unconcious with blunt blows of a blade and slashes all over their bodies.

"U-Ugh...the Death God...The Death God!"

That made Jin ran over the site, push back anyone in the way and pick the broken man up to head level, his face twisted in both anger and...delight.

All in _five _seconds.

"Answer me! Where is he? **Where is he? !**" Jin roared as he started choking the poor guy. Calm down...oh wait, you're a psycho. You can't calm down.

* * *

Raim's PoV

*cough* *cough*

...Okay...next time I let someone drive something, I should ask if he at least _knows_ how to keep that up.

"Okay, that almost got us killed. Happy now, Raim?" Ragna coughed as we got out the cinders made out of the crash between the scooter and a brick wall. Impresively enough, Ragna seemed fine. Not a blood stain in his body. Guess he's really used to this.

"Not in the *cough* slightest." Man, that felt horrible."

"**Well, at least you didn't die."**

"Yeah, but now, we have to go there, ON FOOT!" I shouted. "Seriously, I don't have time to stay in this godforsaken world!"

Crap! It's always like this! Whenever something starts going smoothly, life starts getting bitchy and screws everything up! It's really frustrating!

"You're awfully hellbent to get back to your world...why? Is something there that is really important to you?"

"Not exactly..." I said. "You see...that's the only place that isn't as screwed up as the outside world."

"Come again?"

We continued walking forward through the ludiculously big plaza with velvet blue decorations and the NOL insignia in the center of it as I resumed my story.

"You see...after all I have seen in my life, I arrived to the conclusion that humans are the biggest assholes in creation...usually. One of a million might be a good person at heart, but...that's streching it. Actually, it's kind of funny seeing people around the world out of stupidity, like America trying to take oil out of Afganistan because some businessman are pulling the strings in order not to lose profit. It's always like that..."

Hell, I could give more examples, but that'll take all day long. And how do I know all of this? Read foreign newspapers and use the Internet. Then get ready to starting hating some people.

"Okay, there's some terms I don't understand, but I can see your point..." Ragna sighed. "You know, if that continues like that in that world of yours, I won't be surprised if an organization like the NOL appears."

"True. Perhaps in 2012."

"What are you talking about?" Ragna raised an eyebrow as he looked at me as if I said something really stupid. "This is December 31, 2199, idiot."

...

...**What?**

"_Okay, stop to think before you freak out..." _Kraid said, although I'm still not sure. "_Magic cannot exist in the outside world, and yet, in this dimension, it is a normal thing."_

_"That doesn't prove anything_..." I countered. _"Perhaps humanity starts to develop science akin to magic."_

**_"This is not Guilty Gear, you know?_**"

...True. Perhaps I'm thinking it too much...Maybe I should stop thinking about it and just focus on getting back.

"You okay?" Ragna asked as snapped his fingers in front of me. "You kinda freaked out back there. What's wrong?"

"Nah, me and my stupid mind." Okay, perhaps there's a possibility. "Now that I think of it, what are **your** reasons to hate this world?"

Ragna remained silent. Honestly, I speak up my reasons and he doesn't want to talk. Now how do I keep myself from getting bored if no one tal-

"...I had a sister."

What?

"We lived in an orphanage far away from any kind of town...even if the old hag was kind of annoying sometimes, it was the only place I could call a home along with my sister and...my brother."

Why he paused when he mentioned his brother...?

"It all started with a fire... It was so sudden that I didn't know what to do. Hey, I was practically a kid back then. Perhaps younger than you. Everything was burning to the ground, a living inferno...I can still see it in my nightmares..."

I don't like where this is going...

"My sister was inside. She was very sick those days, so I had to take care of her. I panicked horribly. I stopped thinking and rushed inside. She was alive. But..."

"Hold on... What happened next?"

"...My brother...For some reason, he just stood there. I called him out of it, but he was...smiling."

Okay, I honestly believe that's creepy.

"And the next thing I know, my brother chopped my right arm off!"

What? !

"It got worse. He just stood there! After telling him to take Saya away, he just friggin stood there, laughing! The next thing I remember, some sort of...ghost appeared. I'll never forget that voice! He was the one who burned the church and kill the hag! ...And I couldn't do anything to stop it..." Ragna's face flared with anger, not against that ghost he's talking about, but towards himself...powerless to do anything in that situation.

He drew breath once again, almost as if relieving a horrible memory...which he just did and is, apparently.

"The next moments are a blur...The only thing I am certain that I was left for dead inside the church. My head was pounding due to the blood loss, but it seemed I ignored the pain and just tried to survive. But Saya was gone, along with Jin...and that green ghost... All that was left...is this."

He took out a small music box from his jacket, tattered by the sides due to the years, but still could play a strangely soothing melody...

Huh.

"...So your life was ruined because of that?" I plainly said.

"What do you mean?" Ragna snapped.

"Look, don't take this as an offence but...I cannot say that losing a family member can cause enough hatred against the world, since I...well...I don't have a family. I don't how should I feel in that situation...not that I cared if I had one."

It's true. If you didn't have a family...how can you feel about the loss of family members of those around you? Seriously...I'm not kidding. Call me a heartless bastard, I understand. Just...try to understand that I can't understand it.

And the next thing I felt was the taste of Ragna's fist, sending me flying towards a random wall. The few people that walked near the place started to sprint faster, away from us.

"...What kind of human being are you?" Ragna criticized me.

"I'm just a normal human." I said, standing up. "Deal with it."

And that's scary. There are many humans that are even more bastards than me. Look around...you'll see.

"Just go on with your story. Don't mind me. After all, when I reach that Cauldron, I'll be gone." I reassured.

"...Tch." Ragna decided to ignore my recent rant...although he looked offended at me. I don't blame him. "I don't know how I got out just in time, but when I woke up, I had this instead of my right arm." he said while pulling up his right sleeve.

...One of my thoughts was that perhaps his arm was metallic or a transplant, at least. But this? It looked like some sort of both. That can't be metallic. I don't know a metal that can be modeled this easily, but also...

"Wait, you said that your arm was cut off when you were a kid?"

"Yes."

"Then...why is that arm almost the same size as your other arm?" I pointed out. "Shouldn't it be shorter?"

After all, Edward Elric had the same condition. But this...there's no logic behind this. Unless...

"...That kid...the one in the restaurant...he was talking about something called the Azure..." I started building up my logic, as twisted as it may be. "Is that..."

Ragna didn't say nothing as he hid his arm. That confirms it. It is that Azure everyone is seeking and talking about...

No. Stop thinking. It doesn't matter what the hell is this Azure thing. The only thing that matters is to get out of here as soon as possible.

And so good god help me, if I find Louis set me up...!

"Hey, move on already!" Ragna said, many steps away from me. "We don't have much time!"

"...Fine."

* * *

Third's PoV

"Yakumo?" Rachel questioned. "I never heard of someone with that last name. Not that it matters."

"Listen, girl. I don't have time for idle chat with you. Just tell me where the kid is." Yukari said in an unusual tone. She's more carefree than this.

"..." Rachel remained in thought for a while. "Very well. From what little information I had, both that kid and a certain underdog were just rushing through the same town you see beneath you. However, due to your sudden appereance, I'm afraid I have lost sight of them."

Yukari cursed herself mentally. After all, she needed to find help soon before...well, just check "Human".

"Nevermind...I have to go find him. Now..."

She stopped as a bolt of lightning stopped the motion of her hand as she was about to open a gap. Intrigued, she turned around.

"And what, pray tell, do you think you're doing?" Yukari questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh nothing much." Rachel giggled. "For once, this cycle of events are proving to be interesting. I never would have thought that a being like you might appear..." she said as she turned Nago into an umbrella again, thus forcing her to use whatever she's using to float. "Now, do me a favor and have a spar with me. After all, I gave you the information you wished for. And I demand a reward."

Yukari looked at her as if she said a really bad joke. Inside Yukari's mind, it was all a turmoil. She didn't have time for anything at this point and, as much as it felt weird for her, she was getting impatient at this point.

In other words...

"I have no time for this..." Yukari said as she opened a gap.

However, Rachel immediately threw a bolt of lightning, which grazed Yukari's gloved hand. The aftermath were some small scorches over it, but this caught Yukari's attention.

"Oh, please...Listen, little girl. You do not know who are you messing with. I'm not in the mood for playing, nor I don't intend to. So, for your own good...leave." she said without even looking at Rachel."

"P-Princess! That women scares me!" Nago whimpered.

"Yeah! I think she's right! I don't think this is a good id-!"

SLAP!

"Ow! That hurt!" both familiars cried out.

"I apologize for the...rudeness of my familiars. They tend to be quite loud if you ask me..." Rachel said while sighing. "Now, shall w-?"

She stopped as she felt a really harsh...intent. She somehow felt...paralyzed, not because of some strange magic, but...from raw fear. Yukari Yakumo was just looking at her with one eye, but that gaze seemed like going deep into her soul. She then knew...if she even dared to do something else in that frame of time, she's dead.

She noticed she was like an insect to her.

"...Good. It seems you understand." Yukari said coldly. "Now, I'll take my leave..." she said while dissappearing into another gap.

Rachel just...floated there. Almost like if the air was sucked out of her. She didn't blink for quite a while...like if she was a doll...no, don't think about Shinku.

"Princess? Princess! Are you alright?"

"Eh?" Rachel blinked as she recovered her senses. "Nago? What did I...?"

"Princess! You're okay!" Gii shouted in happiness. "That mean lady is gone! So you don't have to worry about it anymore."

Rachel was still analyzing the situation. She was frozen just by her gaze. That couldn't be it. Was she that powerful? More importantly, was she...sweating?

"_This is ludicruous!"_ Rachel thought as she shaked her head. After some seconds, she spoke up."...Nago, Gii. It is time to go."

"Where, princess?" both asked, a hint of curiousity in their voices.

"Why, to follow our lost puppy, along with the pest." Rachel said, regaining her usual visage.

"You mean..."

"...we're going to follow that women, princess?"

A double slap was enough to shut them up.

"OW!"

"If you know already my objective, then I guess you should remain silent. Besides...this might be...beneficial for us."

The mere presence of a third party might help Rachel resolve this whole mess. As an observer, she can't do anything. Just move pieces of this giant board and expect a change. But now...due to her encounter with Yukari, Rachel knew two things.

There was a stronger being than her...and free from the bounds of Takahamagara.

And...she might gain a favor if he finds Raim first. Then, perhaps...

"Now, off we go."

Rachel said as she dissappeared into a distortion.

* * *

Raim's PoV

*shudder* What the hell?

"What now?" Ragna looked very annoyed. "Don't tell me something happened."

"More like my "I have a bad feeling about this" senses are tingling." Seriously, there's something wrong right now. "As if something really wrong happened...nah, perhaps I'm just too paranoid."

"As usual, your answers never cease to surprise me." Ragna sighed. "Let's just get this over with. I don't want to have those senses rub to me. As if ghosts were annoying enough..."

"**Scared of ghosts? Heh, who are you gonna call? Or do you wet your pants at the sole mention of them?"**

"Kid. Would you just shut him up or anything?" Ragna had his hand one inch away from his sword.

"If I could, my mind would've be in more ease. This guy's a living headache."

Anyways, he continued walking forward. This area was a bit more populated, with all humans and...beastkin, was it? Yep, those guys. As always, they decided to ignore us. I'm still surprised that our bodies are still in one piece. I mean, we just survived the explosion of a motorcycle and the collision against a freaking wall. And when we landed, we did in concrete.

...I can understand Ragna being okay, but me? The human body is squishy, not made of iron. But still...

We continued walking for some more time. Oddly enough, there were fewer guards than I expected in this area. Did someone call them back? If that's the case, then something isn't right here...

...? Hey, where did Ragna go?

"Gah! Freaking rabbit! What are you...huh? The hell? Why do you sound like the rabbit? And your hairstyle-"

What? What is going on? Who's he talking to?

Naturally, I ran towards Ragna. He's too impatient for his own good. He was about to leave me here!

Well, whatever...

"Ragna! What happened? Who is th-"

* * *

_You shouldn't remember this..._

_You will forget this encounter..._

_You...really have a hard head._

* * *

...Urgh...Wha...Where? Where am I? And why do I feel like hating myself much more?

"There you are." Ragna said, looking down at me. Wait, when did he got up there? Or am I...? "What the hell are you doing in a crater?"

I am where? !

"**My god...what the hell just happened? I feel like a chihuahua after being crushed by a bulldozer."**

"No. I actually feel _worse_, Glid. *groan* " Seriously, what the hell just happened here? If I could just remember...

...

...

...No, I'm drawing a blank. Whatever that hit me, it hit me with such force that I...kind of forgot what happened in those lost moments. How weird.

"Argh. It's useless. I can't remember shit. *sigh* Well, might give me a hand?"

Ragna scoffed, but he reached his hand towards me. But what honestly bugs me is the size of the crater. From what I can see, the force who slammed me to the ground was far from human. But still, it's almost as it let me...alive for some reason.

Honestly, I'm creeped out. Better just ignore that this happened and just go back to Gensokyo as soon as I can.

* * *

After getting out of that crater and some walking, we arrived to an oversized blue gate that lead towards the NOL headquarters...or so I think. It's a giant building, but it doesn't say "NOL headquarters" directly. Honestly, wouldn't people just...add a sign? You don't waste any time doing that.

Whatever the case, Ragna and I cut down the gate, expecting guards to assault or start shooting at us. Only a cold, eerie silence reigned. We continued walking forward until we came in front of a door. I was about to open it when...

"I wouldn't do that if I were you...these damn doors always have some sort of Ars that can vaporize a guy in an instant.

"**Really? 'Cause I don't feel any of that weird mumbo jumbo from this thing."**

"You what?" Ragna raised an eyebrow as he cautiously put a hand over the door. It opened easily, for some reason.

...I don't like this.

"That's weird. Normally, those bastards start running like dogs towards me..." Ragna noticed. "HEY! HELLO? ANYONE HERE?"

Ragna! The hell are you doing? !

"**Hey, I thought this was a stealth mission...but then again, having bodies to chop down isn't that bad of a prospect."**

*groan*

"Hello? Pizza delivery here!" ...Why would you say that? ! "...No answer. Guess they're out or something. I wonder what the hell happened."

"Me too." You know what? I think I'm just going inside without asking any question now.

"Halt, evildoer!" a voice stopped us on our tracks. Wait...I know that voice...

ARGH! NO! Not you again! Honestly, why does everything just go from bad to worse? !

**"_Because your luck su-"_**

Don't you start...

"Hah! You thought you could escape from me, BANG SHISHIGAMI, so easily? Fiends like you should know better! Nobody can escape my sight!" he said while pumping his fists.

...Just leave, for my head's sake.

"**Wow... This asshole just doesn't know when to quit, does he?"**

"Who's this moron? Acquantance of yours?" Ragna asked, eyebrow raised to its maximum. "Seriously, I can't understand what the hell is he even talking about..."

"For simplicities' sake, let's just say that he's a stupid encounter I just want to erase..." I rubbed my head.

"So...you thought you could evade my rightful punishment while I was eating along my men, huh? Tough chance! I, BANG SHISHIGAMI, shall not stand any more for your evil actions! Especially for you, Death God! After I get the bounty of your head, I can start restoring Ikaruga back to its former glory!"

"Man...not another one of these idiots again." Ragna sighed. "Haven't anyone of you learned something already? !"

"If you take for granted that they are all idiots like him, what can you expect?"

"...Good point." Ragna nodded almost sagely.

"Ah, it's useless! It's all useless! Your attempts to demoralize me are in vain! 'Cause I, BANG SHISHIGAMI, will..."

You know, at this point, I set my brain to "Ignore idiot" mode. I don't have time to be sidetracked by a moron. Perhaps if we just...walk away...

"...punish you with my fists of...!" his loudness is just staggering.

"I can't believe it... He...he really didn't notice?" Ragna whispered as, for some sort of miracle, Bang was still hamming with his eyes closed as if he thought he was some sort of hero taken out of JUMP. "Honestly, this day has become a total wreck. First you and that thing on your head, then Tao, although she wasn't that bad, then that kid, the NOL girl, the bunny-leech, that mob of vigilantes and, to add insult to injury, this moron! ...Can I ask you something, Raim?"

"What?"

"Have you ever felt that life is a complete bitch?"

"You have _no_ idea. No idea at all." I almost wanted to cry...but it wasn't in my character.

* * *

Third's PoV

"Oh?" Yukari raised an eyebrow as she saw the unusual sight of a fifty foot tall icicle raising from the ground near a small populated area. "Guess finding things out won't be so hard after all..."

She slowly decended to ground level. Quietly, she drew near the icicle and looked around. Several people were shocked by the recent events that they simply stood there, motionless. Also, she noticed that a motorcycle antiquity shop had its windows shattered, with certain ice shards on the floor. Ignoring that, Yukari turned her attention towards a billboard.

"...*sigh* He was gone for some hours and he's instantly a wanted man." Yukari muttered as she saw the incredibly horrible drawn picture of Raim, alongside another poster of equal "quality" showing the face of a white haired person, the name "Ragna the Bloodedge" written under it.

"Ah? You're a vigilante too, lady?" an old man said, apparently being a shopkeeper next to the icicle.

"...Not exactly." she kept her reasons. "However, may I ask you...have people seen this kid?"

"The Foreigner? Well, according to some rumors I heard, the Foreigner was seen alongside the Death God..."

"You mean Ragna the Bloodedge?"

"Why yes. Ah, you young people are always so sharp..."

Yukari then knew that she needed to find this "Ragna" in order to find Raim. That was one step. The problem is...

"And anyone knows where does this Death God appears?" Yukari asked.

"Where the Death God appears? ! Goodness, no!" the old man flipped out. "Are you crazy?"

"_That man seems to have a dangerous rep around here."_ Yukari thought. Then she asked, "Well then, since he's a wanted man, then what's his normal modus operandi?"

"Eh?"

"Apparently, this man is being hunted due commiting the destruction of...several NOL facilities, or so here it says." Yukari commented. "Where is the NOL facility in this city?"

"Excuse me...madam, but it seems you're actually _looking_ for the Death God." the old man seemed...pretty unnerved. "Why do you..."

The man stopped talking as he felt a strong gaze coming from Yukari. He froze instantly of terror. But why? He shouldn't be afraid of a beautiful woman like that. But...that stare.

"And? Do you know where it is?"

"...U-Up."

"Up where?"

"T-That building. That blue building atop the city! There!" the old man pointed towards the gigantic building that was the NOL headquarters.

Yukari looked up. The sun was setting behind said building, reminding Yukari that there wasn't much time left...

"Hmm..." Yukari's mind kept working as she walked towards the broken gate and, to the surprise of some of the pedastrians, she opened a gap and disappeared.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is how you make people doubt of their sanity.

"G-Ghost! It was a ghost!" the old man ran in panic while laughing madly.

* * *

"And that's why you'll be defeated!...Wait a minute, it has been awfully quiet by now..." Bang blinked as he noticed his two targets were nowhere to be seen. "It cannot be! Those criminals ran away while I was delivering my manly speech! How villanous!"

And that's the reason people make fun of you...in-universe. Out-universe...you're weirdly awesome.

"Well, since they went inside the Library's headquarters, I'm sure I can find them easi-"

*engine roar*

"Eh?" Bang looked around. "What was that sound?"

*engine roar (louder)*

"Again, that fiendish roar! What in the world is..."

Bang couldn't finish what he was about to say because he was ran over by a motorcycle. I still can't believe a human's body can be thrown in the air just like that...

The rider in question is...guess who?

"NII-SAN! I know you're here! I'm sure!"

...Yuuup.

* * *

Raim's PoV

Okay, Ragna. Why did you cringed just now?

"I have a bad feeling about this...Something...no, more like someone..."

"**Maybe there are ghosts lurking around so much that you're paranoid."**

*sigh* Stop it, you.

"Argh, shut up already!" Ragna dodged the question. "Let's just hurry up already..."

The hallways were, I'll admit, pretty cozy. How much money they took from civvies, I don't care. Still, it must've been a pretty large quantity...Hell, look at that freaking statue over there! I don't know if that giant book is part of the statue or was brought over, but it is just too damn excesive. Also, there are some sort of...glyphs everywhere. The walls, the ceiling, hell, even the floor.

Wonder how much money they used to pimp this place up...

(SMASH!)

What was that?

*engine roar*

"**The hell? What in the name of shit is that?"**

"Tch! More interruptions! Hey, let's move o-!"

(CRACK!)

SON OF A-!

"Argh!" Believe it or not, a motorcycle came out of practically nowhere and smashed Ragna towards the wall. I had to cover my eyes in order not to get debris in my eyes.

And why did the air suddendly become col-?

* * *

Third's PoV

Raim couldn't end that thought because he was instantly frozen solid by...oh, you know who.

"*giggle* Nii-san~... Finally, after all of this time, I found you!" Jin, grinning like a madman said as he approached Ragna, which kick the motorcycle out of the way and towards Jin. However, Jin just moved sideways, the motorcycle hitting the icicle which contained Raim, freeing him in the process as it was blown to bits.

"Agh...C-c-c-c-"

"**Combo breaker?"**

"...O-Oh you s-shut up!" Raim snapped, shaking the last bits of ice shards off his body. "W-Who the hell is that?"

"Tch. I thought I would have my reunion with my brother alone..." Jin frowned as he devised another plan to...dispose of Raim. "No matter. In that state, you won't be able to do anything."

He then turned around to face Ragna, And just in time since he almost cut his head off. Jin blocked with Yukianesa, almost like it was an easy feat. There were on a even strength.

"*chuckle* Is this how greet people? Aah, you never change..."

"JIN! Why the hell are you here! ?"

""Why?"" Jin raised an eyebrow far more than one should as he pushed back Ragna in order to counter. Ragna unleashed a Hell's Fang, trying to pierce through Jin's internal organs, but he blocked with a gigantic ice wolf head, making Ragna's arm numb. Jin demostrated his mastery of iaijutsu as he aimed directly to cut Ragna's arm.

However, Ragna brought forth the arm that was covered with ice, blocking Jin's swift attack and removing the ice instantly. Then, they locked swords once again.

"Why am I here? Heh, I thought that was obvious. I came to see you, Ragna..."

"R-Ragna...You never told me your brother was a p-psycho..." Raim said, his teeth shaking uncontrolably. "J-Jesus Christ...What the hell is wrong with your face?"

"You were looking...for me?" Ragna said, apparently not hearing Raim due to him been more focused on the battle. "What do you mean by that?"

"But of course! *chuckle* Still, I'm pretty amazed..." Jin continued, each time he spoke it looked like his grin became more and more childlike. "You have the highest bounty on record... The NOL practically rules the world, and they're still afraid of you...the Death God."

"**Well, it's a pretty damn good title, if you ask me."**

"Ask anyone on the streets..." Jin continued, ignoring the "trash". "And they'll know the name...Ragna the Bloodedge."

"I could care less about that!" Ragna roared as he charged darkness into Blood Scythe, breaking Jin's guard for a moment. He dashed forward and swung his blade at him, but he countered with a simple Fubuki. However, Ragna wasn't done yet as he used the remaining inertia in order to kick Jin's head, but he blocked with Yukianesa's sheath.

"Gauntlet HADES!" Ragna shouted as his arm was enveloped in darkness, attemping and overblow at Jin, which tried to protect himself with a wall of ice. However, it was shattered instantly due to impact and the follow up attack managed to hit Jin's ribs, sending him flying towards the other side of the room, colling with the wall.

"Hahaha..." Jin slowly rose, visually unscathed. "But that weird, nii-san. I didn't think you had the aptitude to use Armagus...Or perhaps it does have something to do with that Azure Grimoire."

"Shut up!" Ragna was just too pissed to think anything else apart from beating the living hell out of Jin. Forcing Jin back once again by brute strength, he unleashed two sequential Death Spikes at Jin. Jin laughed as he released a Touga Hyoujin, cutting down the Death Spikes while it headed at Ragna, which _slashed_ the ice wave in half by covering Blood Scythe with darkness.

Sadly...he didn't notice the Icecar.

(CRASH!)

"ARGH!" Ragna grunted as his body was being dragged by the Icecar (with Jin on top, of course) towards the opposite end of the wall, crashing towards and _passing through_ the wall. And the end of said room, there was a statue, holding an ornamental sword forward. You know, who the hell left the blade like that? Someone could get hurt!

...Look, if you don't understand the joke, then I think I overestimated you.

"This isn't over yet! I have a lot of questions...for you. But..."

"Hmm?" Jin raised an eyebrow. Me too, because it surprises me how can he be speaking like that when he's about to get pierced by both the Icecar and the blade.

"I think I beat the answers out of you, INSTEAD!"

And Ragna surprised Jin by shattering the Icecar with one punch, making Jin fall towards a stone pillar right near there. However, Ragna was still flying at the blade so he stabbed Blood Scythe to the ground as a brake. It didn't work. He was still moving there.

Then he had the weirdest of ideas.

"Well, screw this. Might as well risk everything." Ragna said as he pressed the trigger of his Blood Scythe, making it extend to his Scythe form. This acted as a springboard for Ragna as Blood Scythe incrustrated inside the statue. Ragna charged another Gauntlet Hades, which went further due to him being in mid-air. However...

"HAHAHA! How stupid of you, NII-SAN!" Jin said, as he created an ice arrow with a drill tip and aim at Ragna. "Now...DIE!"

And he let go.

"Shit!"

However, Jin didn't noticed a bokuto flying from the other room. Ragna, using his now adrenaline-enhanced reflexes, caught it in mid-air and sliced the ice arrow in half.

"WHAT? !" Jin shouted, just before a motorcycle crashed against him.

Seriously...They should've remembered that Raim was left unwatched and that he might've caught up with them.

"...That's for almost turning me into a popsicle, bitch." Raim snarled.

"**But with due honesty...this guy needs a psychologist. I may be evil, but I'm not gay!"**

"_Agreeded. What the hell is wrong with this guy?"_

"Beats me." Raim shrugged as he drove his new found machine of death towards Jin, thinking that if he maimed him enough, then both Ragna and him might get to the Cauldron easier.

But...life's a bitch.

"YOU BASTARD! DON'T GET IN THE WAY OF MY NII-SAAAAAAANN!" Jin roared, unleashing _three_ Touga Hyoujins at Raim.

However, Raim thought this one out. Before hopping on the motorcycle, he picked up Ragna's Blood Scythe on the way, although he admits it's kinda heavy. Mustering all of his strength, he threw Blood Scythe at Ragna, splitting the Touga Hyojins in half as it spun almost out of control. Ragna, noticing what was he planning threw Kraid at Raim in the same fashion.

You know, I think I shall name this move "Sword Swift Switcheroo". Or S3...whatever.

Both Ragna and Raim caught their respective weapons with ease as both of them rushed at Jin. However, he had another plan in that crazed mind of his.

"Fine...Have it your way! I'll kill you BOTH!" he said as he spun around. "ARCTIC DUNGEON!"

As Jin stabbed the ground with Yukianesa, the temperature went quickly below 0°C and the ground was starting to get covered with ice. The statue was also getting ice all over it and the glyphs and other machinery started to malfunction. Ragna noticed that Jin was left wide open for an attack and jumped over the ice in other to slash him. However, the ice got to Raim faster and it was almost starting to get frozen.

"Ah crap..."

And to put the icing in the cake, Jin released an horizontal Touga Hyoujin, impacting Raim on contact while leaving a serious looking ice scar over his body.

"AAAARGGH! You...bas..."

"**WALL!"**

"Wha-?"

(CRASH!)

Raim's body, along with the motorcycle, demolished the wall to the adjacent room.

"Son of a bitch!" he groaned as he noticed his arm was covered with several layers of ice, making it impossible to move.

"**Kid...we have more shit to worry about?**"

"What do you..."

(CRACK!)

"...Oh shit..."

Then, the weight of all the debris broke the ground below and Raim fell down several floors down. Ragna tried to go help him but...

"Oh no, you won't!" Jin stabbed the ground once again, erecting a massive ice wall which blocked Ragna's path. He cursed as he faced Jin once again.

"You bastard... He wasn't involved in this!" Ragna shouted.

"So what?" Jin, in a true display of bastardery, smiled. "But now...hehe...we are finally alone, nii-san. Ah~! Finally! No more interruptions! And I'll get to kill you again!"

* * *

*rumble*

"Eh?" Noel blinked, feeling tremors coming from...upstairs?

***rumble***

"W-Who's there? Answer, please!"

***RUMBLE***

The roof of the hallway shook as Noel quickly moved away. Said roof broke down in several pieces as debris and dust filled the air. Noel couldn't see a thing with that atmosphere, but she couldn't just leave this unattended. She didn't like it, but it was her job...

...No wait, she's overthinking it. You're a goddamn secretary/soldier! Act like one!

"...W-Whoa!" Noel gasped as she looked at the mid-sized hill, made of stone, bricks and debris, stood in front of her.

(CRACK!)

Noel gasped just at same time Raim groaned in pain, making her unable to hear him. Sucks to be you, kid.

"*sigh* That was scary."

That was **not** scary. Jesus Christ, grow some guts, girl!


	8. Drag me below

"...Aaarrghh..."

Is this what it feels to be buried under rock and debris and without the ability to breathe?...No, wait, I can still breathe. It is my lungs that are somewhat crushed, that's what. Geez, now I know how people that are buried alive feel...and it isn't pretty.

"**Hey kid. You're still alive, aren't you?"**

"If I was dead, then I would not be able to hear you..." Figures... "Anyways, I should get out of here...it's too closed up."

Also, I can't see shit.

"**Oh-ho? Going on a panic again, eh kid?"**

"Shut up." Damn, I don't have time for this...

"...Tha...as scary..."

What? I think I heard someth- (CRACK!) No. Just my bones breaking. Aaarrgghhh...

"...? Oh? What a marvelous surprise, isn't it Lieutenant?"

Who the hell...nevermind. Must...get...outta here...

"**Err...how?" **the bastard pointed out something really obvious.

Well, my legs are totaled and, even if my left arm is unharmed, the boulders just won't let me move it. And...this space is too narrow. So narrow...

"_Snap out of it!" _Eh, what? Kraid? "_Seriously, one of these days, you need to get rid of that claustrophobia of yours!"_

True. I still don't know where the hell I got this stupid fear of mine, but it is really annoying.

"...ptain Ha..."

Did someone said Captain? Goddammit, what is going on out there?

* * *

"Captain Hazama!" Noel was surprised by the sudden appereance of Hazama. "What are you doing here?"

Hazama appeared from just next the pile of debris, explaining how Raim could hear him. He waved back, having some sort of laid back attitude towards the situation.

"Well, you could just say I was just, you know, passing by. After all, I'm a Captain, just inspecting everything was in order here."

"Order?" Noel blinked. "Well, more like empty than in order...Ah!" Noel closed her mouth. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to insult you."

"Oh, you don't have to worry. You can't insult even yourself correctly."

"What?"

"What?" Hazama feigned ignorance on his own comment, gleefully walking forward to the junk pile. "Hm? Would you kindly explain what is this, Lieutenant?"

"...! Er, well..." Noel started fidgeting. "W-Well, I thought that Mayor Kisaragi was inside the NOL branch of Kagutsuchi, so I got here as soon as I could. _Ignoring the fact that I ate along with a Kaka... _I started looking around...when some sort of explosion occured. It was scary! Too scary!"

Noel was shaking. To believe a soldier like her can go to the verge of tears like that.

"_No wonder it is easy for me to control the staff around here. Some people are just this crappy." _Hazama's thoughts were incredibly accurate. "Lieutenant, what I need is facts, not your own feelings during the situation. Do I make myself clear?"

Hazama wasn't angry or anything. He was just...enjoying himself, sporting that smile of his. Nobody would suspect he's a bad person if he keeps this behavior...but we know better.

"Y-Yes, Captain Hazama..." Noel cleared her throat. "After that, this rubble fell down from upstairs and...well, you arrived. I'm sorry! I didn't have any more information!"

"Well, yes. Although, if my suspicions are correct, then Mayor Kisaragi is definitely inside the complex."

"Eh? !"

"You see...I know that debris do not have ice shards over it. Now, Lieutenant...do we have something like that here?"

Noel kept silent, her head down.

"Good. That's what I thought!" Hazama said happily as he jumped over the rock pile.

(CRUNCH!)

* * *

Raim's PoV

...Pain...So much pain...

WHO THE HELL IS CRUSHING ME? !

* * *

Episode 8: Drag me below

* * *

Third's PoV

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hazama did his trademark shrug. "My feet landing over the concrete? Is there something important about it?"

"...No."

"Good!"

"Um...why did you jumped over there exactly?"

"Hmm...well, you could say I felt like it."

"...You felt like it?" Noel couldn't decide between sounding confused or to snark. It was a perfect moment. "Seriously?"

"Why yes! Is there's something wrong with one acting like a kid for a while, Lieutenant? Releasing your inner child is sometimes good for oneself."

Noel opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped. Going against a superior isn't part of her personality...

...

...Grow some balls, women!

"... ... ...ugh..."

"There! There it is again!" Noel exclaimed. "Are you sure who aren't hearing anything?"

"Well...what **I** am hearing is the sound of someone battling upstairs." Hazama said, looking up. "Can't you...I don't know, make yourself useful and look what is going on, Lieutenant?"

Ah, don't beat yourself, Hazama. Because...

* * *

...we'll do that for you.

(CLASH!)

"Dammit, Jin!" Ragna growled as he tried to attack Jin's ribs. "Why won't you just stay still until I cut you? !"

"*giggle* But what fun would that be, nii-san?" Too true. "But why so mad, nii-san? After all this time, you should excited of this family reunion."

"Reunion my ass!" Ragna shouted released two seeking Death Spikes at Jin. Jin froze one of them instantly, the other was slashed down. Ragna jumped at Jin, his fist surrounded in darkness. Jin retailated with a Touga Hyoujin, but Ragna, to Jin's surprise, **punched** the wave of ice with such force that it...vanished.

He didn't finish there. Ragna, still in the air, charged his fist again and punched the ground, creating a massive dark shockwave, shattering the floor and all on its path towards Jin. Jin countered with another Touga Hyojin.

(BOOM!)

The clash of both attacks created a smoke screen that filled the room. Jin, angry that he couldn't see his "beloved" brother in this conditions, started throwing ice swords everywhere without stopping.

Spam, spam, spammity, spam! Oh, sorry...my bad.

"Shit!" Ragna cursed as he sidestepped, rolled forward and jumped to avoid the endless hail of ice swords. You know, perhaps it is because his defenses are so weak that he was forced to master the art of dodging. Hell, he could be a Gensokyo regular at this point.

"Hehehe...HAHAHAHA! THAT'S IT! THAT'S HOW I LIKE YOU THE MOST, NII-SAAN~!"

Eww.

Ragna used Hell's Fang to move towards. However, he dodged quite elegantly and his hand obliterated the damn wall. Jin then used the Ice Car again, cruising through the dust cloud...only to be greeted by Ragna **using the wall as a weapon.**

"...!"

(SLAM!)

The ice shattered as Jin was sent rocketing towards the pillars of the hall, shattering it on contact. He finally stopped when he collided with the giant female statue, his mouth drawing blood. But even after all that punishment, Jin stood up, grinning as if this was just a scratch.

Note to self. Insanity grants you endurance.

"Hehehehe..." Jin used Yukianesa as a support as he faced Ragna. "Not bad, nii-san... I never knew you got this strong. Hehe, isn't this...fun for you?"

"Fun? **Fun? !**" Ragna shouted as an aura of complete darkness engulfed him. "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FUN TO YOU? JUST DIE ALREADY JIN AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"*giggle* Can't let do that, nii-san!" Jin grinned as he clicked his fingers. Ragna's eyes opened wide as a ice sword pierced through his right arm (the one without the Azure) and he roared in pain. Jin's ice control is far bigger than I expected...

Jin created another Ice Car as started flying towards Ragna, while the latter struggled to remove the sword from his shoulder. Noticing that Jin was coming at him, he jumped over the broken pillar, used it as a step to reach Jin's height and tried doing an axe kick.

(CLASH!)

The kick was blocked by Yukianesa. The speed in which the Ice Car flew helped a bit. Ragna didn't stop there...not even the pain of his shoulder mattered at this point.

He really wanted to kill Jin now. There wasn't too much time left...

"Give up, nii-san!" Jin said, both attacks **still **in a stalement. "Your arm's wounded and even if you can use Ars, you aptitude is just pathetic! Now, LET ME KILL YOU!"

"Do you ever shut up? !" Ragna gritted his teeth as he used his left arm to get a hold of Yukianesa. Jin laughed, thinking his brother was desperate or something and started surrouding his whole arm on ice.

Then Ragna did something impossible. Mustering his whole strength, he moved Yukianesa downwards, spun his whole body and used the momentum to deliver a roundhouse kick that clearly shattered Jin's jaw. The Ice Car vanished as Jin started falling, however he started creating several ice swords to impale his brother. Ragna cursed silently as he ran out of ideas in order to maim Jin as much as possible.

"..._Wait a minute..."_

* * *

_*grind*_

"_Ouch! What are you doing, kid?" Kraid shouted as I used him as a board in order to grind over the pipes._ "_You're not going to grind your way to safety are you?"_

* * *

Ragna started remembering something and started grinning on the mere thought of it.

Instead of using it as a board, he held Blood Scythe and aimed downwards, pointing at Jin. He then enveloped himself in dark aura in order to propulse himself faster...

* * *

_"...Okay, I swear to God, I'll never do a freaking stunt like that again! Kid, what the hell's wrong with you? ! You almost killed us!"_

_"It seemed like a good idea at the time..." _

_"Although...in a positive light, I think I like that thing I did. Maybe I should call it..."_

* * *

"...Tch. I'm as crazy as the kid..." Ragna sighed. "GET READY!"

(ZOOM!)

"...!" Jin brought up an ice veil to protect him. But...

(**CRASH!)**

"Ack...!" Air left Jin's lungs as Blood Scythe hit Jin directly, shattering the ice veil as it didn't exist at all. Ragna roared as they started descending faster and faster.

Jin's body crashed through a pillar, but the attack didn't stop yet.

"Did (CRASH!) you think (CRASH!) I was DONE YET? ! (**CRASH!**) YOU ARE SO WRONG, JIN!"

(**BOOM!**)

Holy shit! Ragna j-just demolished a wall...**as used Jin as a cushion**! Geez, man, I know you hate your brother but...GOD!

"_...Belial Edge, huh? Has a nice ring to it..."_ Ragna thought as he retrieved Blood Scythe from Jin's body. He noticed that sure, Jin was bleeding like a fountain, but the wounds were not so severe as he thought. Jin must've used a some sort of barrier ars instinctively to lessen the damage, since he's alive and all.

"*pant* Agh...ni...nii-san." I have to admire Jin at this point. To survive this kind of brutality and to be concious on top of it, he's clearly not insane on one deparment only. "N-No! I...I must be the one...to kill you! No one...else...!"

"Yeah yeah, keep with your crazy talk." Ragna completely ignored Jin as he sheathed his sword and forcefully removed the ice sword stuck in his shoulder. "_Damn. Hurts like hell... _Now, stay there or, who knows, the moon might fall..."

Finishing the sour joke, Ragna prepared himself to leave. Jin, still insane, struggled to stand up. Apparently, his desire to kill Ragna was strong that some broken bones.

"No, don't! Ragna! If you go there, you'll die! **I** am the one that will kill you! NOT THAT BITCH!"

*rumble*

One of the nearby pillars cracked and then, started falling towards Jin. Jin noticed it and dodged, but his legs were so weak that he fell down. And to put things even worse...

(CRACK!)

The floor "exploded" and Jin started falling down several levels. Huh. Almost like the same situation as Raim.

Karma's a bitch.

"...Tch. That's what you get." Ragna mumbled. However, he still berated himself why didn't he killed him. Perhaps he did care a bit for him? Ragna punched a wall in his frustration. "Shit...shit shit, I'm a goddamn idiot! Why can't I kill him? Why am I so soft against him?"

Those questions plagued his mind, but he knew that wasn't the subject right now...

"...Tsk! Where the damn elevator in this place...?"

* * *

"...? It seems something falling here..." Hazama said, looking at a chunk of debris getting dangerously near to his position.

"C-Captain Hazama! Look out!" Noel also noticed.

But Hazama had already jumped out of the way, with a grin to his face.

(**CRUNCH!**)

* * *

Raim's PoV

OH GOD!

* * *

Third's PoV

Noel shielded her eyes as an even bigger dust cloud covered the large quarters she was in.

"What just happened? ! Captain Hazama! Hey! What is going on?" Since she doesn't know that Hazama is evil, her worries are justified.

"*cough* Whoa. Now that was dangerous, wasn't it?" Hazama was smiling, coming out of the debris as nothing has happened. "Drat, my favorite suit is dirty."

...You're more worried about your suit than yourself? ...Well, you're a ghost so that's okay.

"_You're more worried about your clothes? !"_ Noel's mind was astray.

"*cough* *cough* Damn it...I must...kill...him!" Ah, Jin! Good to see you're alive! ...Oh wait, no, that's bad. Go die already!

"M-Mayor Kisaragi! Are you okay? !"

...Seriously? You're asking Jin that while **you can clearly look at his current state? !** Jin, I can sympathize.

"...! No! Stay back, you BITCH!" And apparently, rage can act as some sort of anesthesia, since Jin is back to his feet after removing the debris that binded him.

"Mayor! Don't strain yourself! We need to take you to a hospital!"

"SHUT UP!" Jin tried to get her out of her face by swinging Yukianesa at her. "I must find...Ragna...!"

"Ragna the Bloodedge? !" Noel was surprised by these news. "Did you fight with Ragna the Bloodedge, Mayor?"

"But of course!" Hazama said. "Why, thanks for giving information we have already deduced. Surely this'll earn you a promotion in the near future."

Noel had the impression Hazama was being sarcastic. And he was. Somehow, Noel was not amused.

"Err...thanks?"

"Now, why don't you just cut to the chase and deal with your renegade major here, hmm?"

"EH? !"

"You're...Hazama from the..."

"Yeah yeah, I heard that a lot of times already. Moving on..." Hazama cut him off. "Lieutenant, now, if you would be so kind to bring back Major Kisaragi for questioning, I'll be very grateful." Hazama said while taking his leave.

"W-Wait!" Noel interrupted as Jin tried to stand up again. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"Oh, heavens no! After all, I'm not good at violence."

Pfft.

"B-But..."

She was interrupted as Jin tried to cut her in half with Yukianesa. Noel stepped back, but instinctively took out Bolverk to defend herself.

"Oh well. Seems you are getting to work, so I'll be going. Tootles!"

"H-Hey!"

But Hazama was gone.

"_This is bad..._" Oh sure, Noel. Like we didn't notice.

(SLASH!)

Jin was both drained because of his fight with Ragna and pissed at Noel because...well, she's Noel. Practically, his whole body is just moving by the hate he feels for Noel.

"YOU BITCH! JUST GET OUT OF MY FACE!" Jin jumped at Noel, trying to just kill her via stabs, slashes...you get the idea.

"No! Major Kisaragi, please, I don't want to fight you. Just come back to HQ or I'll be obliged to use force!"

Noel...you're trying to reason with a person who clearly wants your visceral remains sprawled over the whole room. JUST SHOOT HIM!

Instead of dropping the temperature of the room like in the battle beforehand, Jin just tried to kill her with brute force. Perhaps he didn't have enough concentration to draw seithr or he just didn't care.

(SLASH!)

"M-Major!" Noel was on a verge of a nervous breakdown. "Please, you're in (DODGE!) no condition to (PARRY!) fight!"

Noel just refused to shoot, and used only Bolverk to parry Yukianesa's slashes. Also, the more Jin moved, the more blood that came out of his body. She knew that if this kept up, Jin would die of blood loss.

But sadly, Noel tripped with one of the rocks and fell down. Jin took this opportunity to bring down Yukianesa.

"?"

(SLASH!)

* * *

"Damn..." Bang muttered to himself as he ran through the hallways. "I lost track of them. Nevertheless...this is a great opportunity to sneak inside the NOL itself. Finally, my righteous fists of justice will bring down the villainous plague that resides in this place...although I can't find anyone around."

Dumbass has a point. After all, the whole NOL was deserted, almost like if not even a soul resided inside.

"Perhaps I have arrived in a wrong time." Bang thought to himself. "Still, the nerve of them! To just escape like that in the middle of my awesome speech! How dastardly!"

No, Bang. That's common sense.

"Hm? What? What are you doing here?"

Bang turned around, expecting to find NOL guards or something. But instead, he found...Tager?

"...I think the question is "What are YOU doing here?", you demon."

"_*sigh* Not this again..._ Look, I'm just in an errand. I really don't want to get more problems." Tager was direct and short, hoping that Bang would understand.

"Hah! Your words do not fool me, red devil!" No, you're the fool here. "I know exactly that you're not here to fulfill goodwill. Turn back...or else!"

"*static* _Tager...who the hell is this moron?_" Kokonoe was really annoyed just by looking at him.

"Well...according to his attire, I think he's a ninja from Ikaruga."

"_Huh...well, no wonder the Ikagura Federation fell down like a fly if they had step soldiers like this mor-..._"

"If you want my suggestion, Kokonoe, I say we don't get him the wrong idea."

Too late.

"Argh! That does it! You shall feel the rage of my fists of fury!"

"_Oh great. Just what I needed..._" Tager wanted to facepalm, but doing that with his hands would be painful.

"_Ugh, my head...Tager, get rid of this asshole immediately. I can't stand his sight. I mean...look at him. Although that's a bad idea overall._"

"*sigh* Roger." Tager prepared for battle as the other started...

…Bang...Why are you posing?

"Be afraid, since I'll unleash all of my special techniques to bring you down!"

Yes. He, Bang, will knock you all down...Ugh...

"_...Changed my mind. Make him die slowly._" Kokonoe, I think that's a bit harsh.

* * *

"What the? !" Jin was shocked as Noel...holy shit!

...Is she blocking Yukianesa with her bare hands? !

"…" Noel's eyes were expressionless. Uh-oh. That's a **bad** sign.

The next thing Noel did was slap Yukianesa, making Jin step back (and lose more blood due to his muscles tearing). She stood up almost mechanically, her eyes now set at Jin. The scary thing was that she wasn't speaking nor making any expressions. She was just...staring at Jin with a neutral face.

"Goddammit! Die, die, die! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE?" Jin was in the verge of insanity...oh wait, no. He already passed that line.

Noel ran faster than Jin expected and hit him in the shin with Bolverk. While Jin was stunned, she kicked him towards the debris pile and a crude CRACK was heard. Geez, you must now feel sorry for Jin at this point.

"...You damn bitch...! Just stay still so I can kill you!" Jin said while forcing himself up.

*splatter*

Hey hey, careful with the blood there, Jin.

"…" Noel just aimed Bolverk at Jin and shot.

Shot. Shot. Shot...She didn't hesitate at any given moment. Combined with those blank eyes and you can actually be terrified of her.

Jin dodged some of the shots, which tore down the debris pile just a bit. He, after measuring the danger of the situation, started releasing sharp ice waves that, when coming in contact with a pillar, it was cut down in half. *gulp* And I thought this couldn't get any worse.

Noel...or an entranced Noel, started getting creative as, instead of dodging, she retaliated the ice waves by parring with Bolverk. This should increase the strain in her arms, but she isn't fazed.

"Tch!" Jin changed tactics back to physical combat. He swung Yukianesa like a mad man, but Noel dodged with an eerie cold precision. This pissed out Jin more than it could be possible. He continued his assault, this time by applying kicks, which managed to prove effective since, while Noel was blocking with Bolverk, he managed to kick her in the stomach, sending her backwards.

Noel was stunned for a moment, but she recovered just in time as Jin unleashed several ice arrows at her. The onslaught of attacks looked more like a danmaku duel than anything...

"..._What am I doing?_" Somewhere inside Noel's mind, she started regaining concience, but not complete control of her actions. "_Why is Major Kisaragi trying to kill me? I don't understand..._"

One of the arrows managed to disarm Noel from one of the Bolverk revolvers. Somehow, this managed to snap back Noel into her nervous self.

A shame.

"Eh? AAH! Wha...What am I doing? ! Major, are you alrig-?

(SLASH!)

Noel fell backwards as she nearly dodged a slash that would've compromised her neck. Jin slowly approached her, his face as usual. Crazy as always.

"Finally! Now, I can get rid of you! With you gone, only me and my nii-san will remain! THIS IS THE END, YOU BITCH!"

(SLASH!)

(CLANK!)

"…! What?"

His attack was blocked by a new contender that just...appeared out of thin air. No...not out of thin air. Jin noticed that this figure came out...from a rip in space.

"...What are you doing?" Yukari sighed as she slapped Yukianesa away from herself. Guess it is now a running gag that Jin's Yukianesa gets slapped very often. "Well, that's not the issue here."

Jin stepped back. Normally, one would shit his pants when you see someone appearing like that, but Jin was more annoyed than scared.

"Who...or what the hell are you?" Jin asked the sanest question he has done during this whole ordeal.

"That's none of your business." Yukari said. "But I do have a question for you. Have you se-"

(SLASH!)

Wow, Jin, how mature.

"...Haven't they taught you that you should listen to others? *sigh* Humanity really is going downfall..."

"You haven't answered me...who are you? !" Jin asked once again, ignoring the blood that dripped from his injured arm.

"Although I'm actually impressed you can still talk big with those injuries. Ugh, talking to you is pointless." She now turned to face Noel, which surprised her. "Maybe you can answer my questions..."

"...Q-Questions?"

Oh goodie...

"Yes." Yukari said, ignoring a still hostile Jin. "Have you seen a really, really obnoxious boy dressed in blue and white, with headphones around his neck? I mean, really obnoxious?"

"Eh? Wait a second...That's the accurate description of the Foreign-!"

"TOUGA HYOUJIN!"

...Goddammit, Jin!

Yukari sighed as she opened a gap behind her, swallowing the massive ice wave instantly, to the astonishment of the two NOL soldiers. Then, Yukari opened a second gap, redirecting the Touga Hyoujin back at Jin.

"..._Ah cra-_"

And Jin was blasted through the room and pinned by the ice against the wall, **finally **completely unconscious.

"*sigh* Even Remilia didn't act like a jerk like this guy..." Yukari faced Noel once again, still in shock of what she just saw. "Now, back on track. Have you seen him?"

Noel nodded, still in shock.

"_Finally!_ So...you know where he is?"

Noel shook her head in denial. Still in shock. *sigh*

"...You're going to just...remain like that, huh?"

Noel nodded.

"*sigh* Does everybody in this dimension have some sort of mental disorder?"

...Weelll...

"...U-Um."

"Oh? Finally going to talk?"

"...What exactly are you?" Noel asked, now far more calm than before. "Why are you searching for the Foreigner?"

"What surprises me is that the kid got a title already..." Yukari rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So you have no clue from where the kid is?"

"Sadly, no."

Wow, Noel, you're awfully cooperative with the person that just kicked the ass of your superior... who wanted to kill you in an insane spree...now that I think of it, it makes a lot of sense!

"The only time I have seen him is at a restaurant downtown, and I doubt they are there anymore..."

"They?"

"Well...he and Ragna the Bloodedge were sighted in that restaurant. You...don't know who the Death God is?"

She's from another dimension, Noel. She can't.

"_This is a waste of time._ Thanks for the information, but you didn't help at all." Yukari sighed...when she noticed some sort of energy below her. "A question, what lies under this complex?"

"Eh?" Noel paused. She didn't know what she meant...but she somehow felt that something of great importance was below. The problem was that she couldn't recall...or she didn't want to. "Why do you...?"

Yukari didn't pay her attention as she opened a gap once again. It is normal to fear the unknown, as proven now with Noel here.

"Nevermind. I'll see by myself." she said as she immersed herself into the gap.

"Huh? W-Wait, you can't go there!"

But she was gone...

"…What do I do now? Some strange lady has breached the Kagutsuchi branch, the major is pinned in the wall with his own ice, Captain Hazama is gone and...Ragna the Bloodedge is here."

She shivered. The simple fact that one of the most dangerous criminals of this world was here, unnerved her.

"...I...I have to follow her. I just can't allow her to waltz in like that.

Noel...she's **Yukari**!

*rumble*

"Eeek! W-What?"

The pile of debris started shaking. At first slow, but then, it move more and more.

Something was forcing his way out. And it seemed agitated...

"Oh god, what now?" Noel quickly picked out the other Bolverk and aimed at the pile.

One rock popped out. Then another. The structure started collapsing in itself as something...exploded.

* * *

Raim's PoV

(BOOM!)

AAARGH! Son of a...!

(THUD!)

*pant* *pant* That's the last time I force my arm out like that! Jesus! I can't move it anymore!

"**Look at the bright side. You're able to kill now.**"

"..._What's with you and killing?_"

"**Hey. The world's mad. Better kill stuff before they kill you, am I right?**"

"…Enough of you. But, at least I'm have my free-"

*gun cock*

"...f**k!"

"**You got your free f**k? Kid, choose your words better next time.**"

AARRGH!

"Y-You got the right to remain silent, Foreigner! You're under arrest!"

"You mixed the sides of the sentence. Try again."

"Eh? Um...You're under arrest! You get the right to remain...hey, wait a minute! Why am I obeying you?"

"*sigh* Your will is just pitiful."

"**Seconded.**"

Ngh! My right arm is injured, but my left arm is covered in red and I think the sound that it makes when I move isn't a good sign...

Basically, I can't use my left arm until it heals.

The girl is still aiming at me with those oversized revolvers. However, she doesn't seem to be willing to fight. No, she's actually afraid of having confrontations.

What's around me?

...Hmm. Rocks, ice...nothing. Whoa! Damn, that's a lot of blood. What happened here? Did this chick do this? To whom?

"F-Foreigner!" Dear lord, your shrieks are perhaps the most grating thing I've ever heard...oh wait, no. That's the ninja's job. "Turn yourself in...or I'll be forced to shoot."

"Didn't you said that in other words before?"

"W-Well..."

"...You suck at this. Haven't they told you this already?"

Oh great. She's on the verge of tears now.

"W-Why are you so mean?"

"Hello? You're threatening me at gun point! Of course I'm acting like an ass!"

And that's completely justified.

"**Sweet crap of Christ... First that psycho, now this whiny bitch. Just kill her already...**"

Oh well. Explain to me how the hell can I do that if one of my arms is practically dead!

"***sigh* Why does all the shitty stuff happen to you?**"

"Good question."

"Who are you talking to?" Noel...was it? Yep. Noel asked me. "Please don't tell me you're as crazy as the major..."

Still aiming at me, Noel's curiosity was still on, almost like if she was a kid. Okay, normally people grow up at this point. And I mean mentally. She's seems to have miss that train.

And, major?

"What major?" I said.

Noel pointed with her other revolver towards somewhere across the room. Well, can't hurt to take a lo-HOLY SHIT! It's that psycho!

"***laugh* Damn. Now that's irony. Although, to be honest, this guy was just asking for it.**"

You know, part of me is curious about how this bastard was nailed to the wall by his own ice, but I don't have the time for that. I need to get back and heal this arm. Eirin might help in this scenario. The problem is...how to get rid of this chick?

"...Hey."

"Y-Yes?"

"Alright, you win. I surrender."

"_What?_"

"What?"

"**WHAT?**"

"Y-You mean it?" ...Why are you so happy? "I mean...*ahem* I'm grateful that you understand your position. Now, if you could please stand up..."

"**Kid, what the hell are you doing?**"

"I'm afraid I can't." I said, glancing at my bleeding arm. "Do you think I'm in condition of moving around after I was buried under this pile of crap?"

"No. I see your point." Noel leaned forward, trying to help me stand up. Apparently, in her eyes, I look defenseless. "There! That wasn't so..."

Too bad I love lying.

(PUNCH!)

"Ack!" I punched Noel with all I could in the stomach. With her frail figure, I'm sure this will knock her out instantly.

(THUD!)

Yes! It worked!

"**Phew...And I thought you were becoming a pussy back there.**"

"Who the hell do you think I am, you bastard?" I said, looking around. "Now, let's find my ticket home."

"**Which is?**"

Ah crap...Forgot about that one.

"I'll...Look, I'll figure it out eventually."

"**Man, it really sucks not knowing shit around here, is it?**"

"That's true..." I turned around, trying to find an exit.

*gun cock*

…!

(BANG!)

I didn't want until that gun cock finished that I rolled randomly. My left arm seemed that screamed in pain and I bit my teeth in other not to shout. I started looking around in a frantic attempt to find the shooter and...

...How? You cannot be standing up! Not after a blow that is a certain K.O.!

"…" Noel aimed at me...I don't blame her. But...what's with her eyes?"

"**…! Kid, move out of the way!**"

(BANG! BANG!)

I sprinted around, holding Kraid in my right hand, and hid behind a column that was inside this room. How convenient.

(BANG!)

Ack! ...Huh?

Did...did the shot passed through the column? No...that is simply **not** possible!"

"**Kid...Those guns are not shooting bullets! It shoots some sort of...energy out of them that explodes. Hell if I know, but those things sure as a deadly as a normal bullet.**"

"I can vouch for that. There's no open wound...but I felt that." I clutched my chest. Argh...

Now what?

(BANG!)

Son of a...!

"_Kid, get out of there!_"

"I know that!"

My running would be considered limping by now. I could hear her shooting once again, something exploding behind me. What scares the crap out of me is that I cannot be sure what kind of bullet she's using. I can block the visible ones. The others...I'm not sure if these are truly invisible...or perhaps those guns trigger explosions by magic out of thin air? Nah, that's impossible.

The thing is...the only course of action is to run. I can't face her head on, she'll shoot me. Close quarters? With this arm? Forget it.

"**Close range and long range out? Hehe, looks like it's that time of the day. The one when you get crap luck.**"

Shut up!

I elbowed one of the doors open and started running. Noel now looked like a Terminator. I mean, she's **walking. **Walking! She doesn't see me as a threat...

…

...That can affect one's self esteem, you know...

"**Enough bitchin' around!**" Glid yelled. "**She's just one bitch! We can take her on!**"

"Sure! I'll risk losing my legs and we will not be able to get out of here! Nice plan, dumbass!" I snarled.

(BANG!)

Ah crap!

Noel started running at me. Apparently, she now sees me as a threat. Why? Perhaps my constant bitching was the cause, I don't know.

"_Turn left!_" Kraid shouted.

I **jumped** to the left as some sort of missile blew down the goddamn wall! Where the hell did that come...ah, screw it! Run!

Even though I managed to increase the distance between us, Noel was so fast she's already catching up with me. And those eyes are still there. Damn! Door...I need a door!

"**Window!**"

(CRASH!)

I jumped through the window as the adjacent room blew up. No, I'm not making this up.

...I guess knocking her out was not the best course of action here.

"**Just accept you screwed up.**"

"Ha ha, no."

"**Even if I tell you that you jumped towards a dead end.**"

I WHAT?

(SMASH!)

Ah crap, she jumped through the other window. What now?

"…"

"Glid...I'm waiting."

"**What? You expect me to solve your goddamn problems? Hell no! Do it yourself, you ass!**"

...*sigh*

* * *

Third's PoV

"Pulverizing Fist!" Bang screamed as he unleashed fiery fury at Tager, which simply blocked, still thinking this is all a stupid situation.

"_What the hell are you doing, Tager? Knock the shit out of this idiot!_" Kokonoe shouted through her communicator.

"Kokonoe, I think we may reason with him. If I go all out on him, who knows what will happen with the last device." Tager stated.

"_Oh, right. I forgot about that._" Kokonoe sighed. "_Look, just get rid of him quickly and go to the lower levels already. We need to retrieve Hakumen as fast as we can._"

"Shuriken Special!" Bang threw...those are not shurikens, Bang, those are nails! "You will not beat me, you giant demon!"

"For the last time, I'm not a demon. That is just a title the NOL branded me with."

"Hah! Your lies pass through daft ears, you demon."

"_Good god! Don't you know when to shut up?_"

"What was that voice?" Bang blinked. "Ah, I knew it! You're keeping prisoner an innocent lady inside your stomach, are you?"

...Oh dear.

"What? No, listen to me!"

"Don't worry, young lady, I, BANG SHISHIGAMI, will free you from the clutches of...!"

"_...Shut up, already, you dumbass! And go f*DEAD SPIKE!*k yourself!_" Kokonoe was completely fed up with Bang's outbursts.

"Ah! S-Such language! I'm too late! The demon's influence has reached her!"

"_Oh god...I'm getting a migraine..._"

"*sigh* This can't get any worse, can it?"

NEVER say that.

(BOOM!)

A body came flying through a wall, crashed into Bang and finally, both bodies crashed into Tager, making his frame go back. Tager maintained his balance as he tried to spot the newcomer. However, the resulting explosion created a thick smokescreen that blocked Tager's vision.

"_Tager! What the hell just happened?_" Kokonoe was shocked by the sudden change of events.

"I do not know! But it seems we've got company!"

"...*pant* Bitch..." Raim forced himself up, pushing Bang's unconscious body aside. "That hurt like hell..."

"_Kid, you okay?_" Kraid asked.

"**THAT LITTLE BITCH!**" Glid roared.

"_Huh? Who the hell are you?_" Kokonoe shouted.

"Eh?" Raim shook his head to focus. "Now I'm hearing things. This big guy has a girly voice?

"_Think again, asshole._" Tager sighed as Kokonoe started speaking once again.

"**Oh great. Just what we needed. Another bitch! Great, add yourself to the pile!**"

"_Who the hell was that? Hey, do you want a piece of me, you ass?_"

"**Really? I can really kill you? Sweet!**"

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Raim snapped.

"Who are you exactly? I do not have your profile inside my data base." Tager asked.

"Look, you don't need to know. I just want to go home." Raim said. "_And these guys might prove useful as a distraction. I can't fight like this..._"

"Ugh...That was a low blow, you demon!...Hey, wait a minute! You!" Bang pointed at Raim.

"Ah crap! Not this idiot again!"

"_I can sympathize..._"

"To think the demon was in cahoots with the Foreigner! But no matter, 'cause I..."

"**CUT THE CRAP!**" Both Kokonoe and Glid screamed.

Before Bang could counter that statement, there was a gunshot. Bang was sent flying towards the other side of the room as Tager ducked. More shots rang as Raim jumped back to dodge, biting his lips as he suppressed his pain.

"_Tsk! A NOL faggot here? And I thought this was getting easier. It never gets easier..._" Kokonoe sighed. "_Tager, how's the equipment?_"

"There are no damages. But if those stray shots do hit...well..."

"Hate to burst your bubble but...would you mind giving a hand?" Raim asked, sidestepping in order to dodge another shot.

"_And why would I want that?_"

"Don't I have at least a chance to give my opinion?" Tager asked.

"Look, I heard that sort of device is really important to you. And, from what I can hear, even a foul mouthed bitch like you is concerned for its safety. What do you say we join forces to take that bitch down?"

"_Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me like that?_"

"Order? This is more of a suggestion than anything else." Raim said. "If you wish, you could fight her and risk losing that."

"_Hah! But look at you!_" Kokonoe said. "_You're bleeding from practically everywhere. Hell, that arm is practically useless now and you're panting! You're almost a dead man at this point. And you suggest that we join up? You'll be more of a nuisance than anything._"

"Hmm...you're right...partially."

"_What?_"

(BANG!)

The shots were still ringing. Raim blocked with Kraid the oncoming shots, although it was a bit sluggish.

"That big guy...Tager, was it? Can he move fast?"

"_Tsk! ...You...!_"

"**Heh. Guy's looks like a freaking powerhouse, sure, but with that size, I'm sure he's slow as hell.**"

"_Shut up, you asshole! I could modify Tager's shit whenever I want. And I make him faster than you can think._"

"I really don't like that prospect." Tager said.

"You see? I help you protect that thing, you help me getting rid of her. Pretty simple, huh?"

Kokonoe stopped to think as the dust started dissipating. That's when she saw (through Tager's eyes) Noel. And she didn't like the way her eyes were.

"_The 12__th__ prime field device?_" Kokonoe exclaimed. "_What's she doing here?_"

"_12__th__ prime field?_" Raim raised an eyebrow.

Noel focused her attacks now on both Raim and Tager, the latter using his giant arms to protect the device while the former continued sidestepping, but that had its toll.

"...Egh...Hehehe...At this rate, my body will be useless..."

"**Tough it up, kid! I need you alive! After all, this is also MY body!**"

"Shut up!"

"Ugh...What just..." Bang started waking up, in the middle of the battle. "Wait, you're that NOL officer from back in Orient Town! So you showed your true colors! I knew you couldn't be trusted."

Raim looked at Bang's stupid outburst and started coming up with a plan in the spot.

"Actually, she's being possessed by one of those foul demons you speak from. Look at the eyes!"

"…! What madness is this?" Bang apparently is buying Raim's crappy story.

"_**What are you doing, kid?"**_

_"Trust me. _See?" Raim mustered himself to say something cliché. "Please, you stupid ninja, I need your...your...*cough* heelll...heeeel...I need your helghhh..."

"You need my help?" Bang deduced.

"...That, yes."

(BOOM!)

Apparently, Noel can easily modify Bolverk using the seithr in the area to a rocket launcher, apart from that Gatling gun from before...To what extend this can go, I really don't know...

"Very well." Bang said, his decision made. "We'll call this a truce, even if you are a villain. Freeing this poor soul is more important than bringing you to justice! Don't you worry, young man, I shall free with WITH MY BURNING SOUL!"

"_That was easier than I thought. Now I have two helpers. Damn, I'm good._" Raim sighed as everything was going according to plan.

"**Heh. Sneaky. Not bad. You're growing up to be a really interesting person, kid. So, are we going to finish off their carcasses when this is over?**"

"No, you ass."

"_I suggest we run the first moment that girl starts focusing on those two. It's the sanest way out._"

Raim sighed. He knew what Kraid meant, but he really didn't like it.

"..."

"_**You're are not really going along that plan, right kid?**__"_

"_What a pain in the ass..._" Kokonoe sighed. "_Tager, secure the device first, then deal with her._"

"Roger. Although..." Tager asked, somewhat worried. "Are you really going to trust that guy?"

"_Obviously not! When that girl starts focusing on him, you run for it. I've spent too much shit on this project. I won't let it go to waste!_" Kokonoe whispered.

"Isn't that a bit..."

"_Shut it, Tager. Besides, you'll suffer less damage this way._"

"...Roger."

The three figures faced Noel, two of them ready to run for it the instant she targets the other. Geez, talk about camaraderie! The only person who isn't going to betray anyone is Bang!

"…" Noel looked at the three and stood still.

Raim started wondering what was she going to do. Her movements, behavior and precision were more alike of a machine than anything else. And for Raim, that was a problem since he was used to deduce attack pattern by seeing faces and body language. This completely put him off. And even if his arm stopped leaking blood, it still hurt like hell to move it.

Tager started calculating. Judging by the situation and the beforehand information, he knew what Noel was capable of. Kokonoe's data about the Prime Field Devices actually were useful at this point, but he didn't want to take risks. If he failed, Kokonoe might try to...modify him, and the mere thought of that terrified him.

Bang was having the same problem as Raim. He couldn't sense her presence. No killing intent, no purpose...just like the air.

"But that couldn't be! That's a normal human boy!"

...Yeah, right.

"_Come on...target the others...target the others...!_" Raim recited again and again those words in his mind.

"_On my call Tager...run for the door behind you. Just wait for her to aim at the brat._"

"_...I wonder what attack will I use next?_"

The blank eyed Noel noticed what both Raim and Kokonoe were planning so she just changed Bolverk into that machine gun and started shooting the arc that sustained the entrance and exits.

All of them.

"...Aw crap!" Raim muttered.

"Aha! So you blocked the exits to make this an honorable fight! I'm impress! At least, you have honor." Bang said as both Raim and Tager facepalmed.

"_Well, shit. Guess we really have to work together now, snotty brat._"

"I think the same, bitchy pussy...Oh god, that sounded so wrong!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the deepest parts of the Kagutsuchi branch, a gap opened. From it, Yukari emerged as started looking around, sensing that the strange energy she felt was near.

"That's right. I really don't have to take him back. What I really need to find is that "ace down my sleeve" that man said. I really know I shouldn't trust him, but I really don't have time to think about that."

Yukari started thinking. Was it a weapon? An object perhaps, or something else? Yukari cursed herself for not asking for better details...but since we are talking about getting accurate information from the devil...Yukari can be forgiven.

She shook her head and focused on her current situation. However, she was wondering how everyone was doing, so she took out a violet...cellphone?

Um...Yukari. You're about god knows how many floors underground. Surely, you won't have any signal.

*beep*

*brrrr*

*click*

"Ah, Ran. It's me."

...That's it. I give up. Logic does not work here.

"I'm calling to know how everything is going on. Any changes?"

...What? I can't hear, dammit. Why must cellphones exist? I cannot follow the conversation!

"…"

"So they entered." Yukari sighed, still not relaxed. "Is it still snowing?"

"…? …!"

"What do you mean you didn't notice?"

"…"

"It's okay. Look, change of plans. Keep those two safe until they reach the higher levels. Then call me when you reach the peak."

"… … …"

"Oh shoot, I forgot about that little detail. Hmm..."

"…?"

"...No, Ran. I'm okay. Just because I'm acting serious, it doesn't mean that..."

"…!"

Yukari paused as she heard Ran's words. Perhaps she was too serious. Ran was right. Staying like that won't help her.

"...Heh. What has gotten into me?" Yukari sighed. Yeah...yeah, you're right."

"…"

"Ara~? Don't tell me you're annoyed now that I'm back to my former self?"

"…"

"Oh, please. I'm not so bad."

Yes. Yes you are.

"Well...seems everything is alright out there...for now. Make sure you..."

"A demon." a distorted voice rang through the hallway that lead to the Sheol Gate.

Yukari stopped as she looked at a giant figure, clad in white and without a face. A long rectangular sword behind him as he (apparently) looked at Yukari with disdain.

"...Call you back."

* * *

(THUD!)

"Argh!" Raim grunted as he was thrown back by the small explosion made by a rocket Noel launched. "Dammit! This is insane!"

"**What, for her to switch for revolvers to that gatling gun, then to a rocket launcher, back to revolvers and then to some sort of mini-Macross missile launcher?**"

Wait, WHAT?

Tager launched a spark bolt towards Noel, which sidestepped swiftly, and Bang tried to follow up by a direct punch. Noel did a somesault kick, stopping Bang in the air. While he was send backwards, Raim dashed towards her and tried to slash her. Noel parried the attacks with Bolverk, then changed the tide of the attack as she started pushing Raim back **by using Bolverk as knives**. Okay, normal Noel is...well, Noel. _This_ Noel...is a badass.

"Goddammit!" Raim grunted as he dodged the slashes and kicks. Then Noel shifted her style back to shooting, surprising Raim. One of the bullets pierced his left shoulder, making him grit his teeth. But he didn't back down. He was more pissed.

"Tsk! Bitch..."

"**Kid, if you are beaten by this chick...I swear I'll find a way to kill you worse!**"

"Not helping!" Raim shouted as Bang jumped over him and started throwing several nails at her.

"Shuriken Special!"

Noel saw the incoming attack and...what are you doing?

(PARRY! PARRY! PARRY!)

...Are you twirling your revolvers to deflect the nails? No, seriously. Why aren't you this badass normally?

"I-Impossible!" Bang was justifiably surprised.

Noel didn't lose momentum and jumped towards Bang, kicking him in the face and then axe kicked him to the ground. Tager tried to use this opportunity to tackle Noel, but since she was way faster than Tager, she just ran over a wall, kick herself from it and started shooting at Tager from above.

Geez, who does she think she is? Dante?

"Damn! She's too fast!" Tager said as he blocked the incoming storm of attacks.

"_Tager, if just one of those bullets hits the device...!_"

"I'm aware of that!" Tager grunted as he kept defending himself and the device.

Noel kept shooting as she jumped from another wall. It was in this moment that Raim used Tager as a step, deflected some of the bullets and managed to punch Noel in the stomach. This wasn't as effective as he initially thought since Noel now aimed directly at his face.

"Shit!"

A shot was heard. Raim noticed that his face was not blown away since he is still thinking.

"Not on my watch!"

He then noticed that some sort of parasol was separating him from Noel.

"**Can't believe it...The stupid ninja is useful for once!**"

Noel's rapid shots soon cut the parasol to shreds and used Blue Trigger on Bang, sending him flying towards Tager. Raim used this opportunity to attack once again, using diagonal and horizontal slashes in tandem. His legs were apparently getting better on the heat of the battle. Must be the adrenaline...

"Spark Bolt!" Tager shouted as a yellow sphere of electricity flew through the closed oval room.

"**Move, NOW!**"

Raim sidestepped just in time as Noel was forced to block with Bolverk. Tager then procceded with the next move.

"You won't evade me!" he started activating his magnets, forcing Noel to him. Her small body flew towards the room and into Tager's fist. "GENESIC...EMERALD...!"

She threw Noel upwards and Tager leaped towards her. However, this crazy Noel, not being stupid, aimed and shot directly at Tager's face, making him lose focus on his special move and started falling to the ground. Fortunately, he landed perfectly, albeit he cracked the ground while doing so. "Crap! What unnatural presicion."

"_That's the 12__th__ for you. Get your shit together! It isn't over yet!__"_

When he noticed that Tager's plan failed, Raim decided to make one of his own. He ran towards Tager first and...

"Hey, bitch." You know, she's called Kokonoe...although she kind of is a bitch. "I have a plan."

"_Hah! Don't make me laugh! Do you think I'll listen to you?_"

"**Broken device~!**"

"_Ergh..._" Kokonoe frowned, knowing too well what Glid meant. "_I really wish to know who the hell is talking, but this is not the time. Fine! Talk, I don't care!_"

Raim started whispering to Tager's and Kokonoe's ears. Tager noticeably raised an eyebrow while Kokonoe...

"_You may be a jackass, but at least your plans doesn't suck!_"

What did you tell them, Raim?

(BOOM!)

"Dammit!" Bang shouted as his body flew towards the wall. However, Tager caught Bang before he crashed. "Ah. Thanks, red devil."

"I would appreciate you dropped the devil part." he answered.

"Enough bitching!" Raim warned. "Here she comes!"

Noel sprinted towards them while shooting. The counter attack began...by throwing Bang at her.

"Hey! What are you...?" Bang started saying, but he was cut short as he was thrown towards Noel. She jumped over him and aimed at Tager, which countered by throwing Raim too. Good god! What were you thinking, Raim?

Both of the young ones clashed in mid-air, Noel actually straining due to the sheer force Tager put in the throw. Physics rule, bitch.

"Hey, stupid ninja!" Raim shouted as he landed along with Noel.

"*pant* W-What? Why did you...?"

"Stab your goddamn nail on the ground!" he ordered.

"WHAT? But this is Lord Tenjo's present for..."

"Look, you wanna die and not...fulfill what you're going to fulfill? (SLASH!) Goddammit, stop doing that!"

Bang stopped to think, then nodded to himself as he stabbed the big freaking nail on his back to the ground.

Noel didn't know what they were planning, but she set priorities once again on Tager and Raim, the former due to his raw power and the latter...because part of her told her that he was dangerous, even with all the injuries he sustained.

Even if she's in her "emotionless" state, she knew that he was trouble.

Raim ran once again straight towards Noel, this time trying a horizontal slash, but she started parrying with her revolvers and tried to aim at his face.

"Spark Bolt!"

Raim ducked as the Spark Bolt hit Noel, but sadly, it hit the revolvers once again. Weirdly enough, Tager shot _another_ Spark Bolt at Noel, which dodged by sidestepping, impacting Bang's giant nail.

…

...Why are you two smiling?

"_Tager, teach that bitch a goddamn lesson already!_"

"Got it. Reversing the polarity! Hey you," he referred to Bang. "you better hold that nail on his place."

Before Bang could say something, Noel was already running towards him, aiming to shoot.

"…?"

Somehow, Noel stopped all of the sudden and her Bolverk...were forcefully aimed at Tager and the nail. No, more like the Bolverk were _attracted _to them.

… ...Ah. I see what you did there.

"W-What? What kind of trick is this?" Bang was surprised as his apparently magnetized nail pulled one of the Bolverk revolvers towards itself at the same time Tager activated his magnetized gauntlets to pull the other revolver.

"Boy, now's your chance!" Tager said.

Raim rushed towards a wide open Noel, preparing a diagonal slash in order to stop her. However, in retailation of their plan, Noel started...stomping the cracked ground.

...Oh. OH...Well...

Sucks to be you guys.

(CRACK!)

The ground finally collapsed after the constant stomping of Noel. All of the present people fell inside the hole, now in a state of panic, except Noel, who _still_ was in her "Rei Ayanami" state.

And yes, the fall is **huge**.

While Kokonoe was shouting to Tager to protect the last device, Bang, being a ninja, recovered in mid-air and tried to help the others, but with him holding the nail, he fell as fast as Tager.

That means that Raim and Noel were still on a stalemate up there...

(SLASH!)

Yep. Most definitely.

* * *

Raim's PoV

I hate this crap...

(SLASH! PARRY!)

Dammit...I can't find an opening! And I think taunting her would be useless, since she's not reacting at all.

"Tch!" I blocked several blows from the revolvers, while also blocking the bullets. However, the goddamn invisible exploding bullet sent me crashing towards the craggy wall, my body being somewhat grinded. I grunted as I jumped from it and tackled Noel, not giving a damn anymore...

*gun cock*

...Aw crap.

"Bang's dramatically-saving-the-kid KIIICK!"

(KICK!)

"…!"

"What the...?"

...Did Bang just kicked upwards? In mid-air? No. No no no no no...That just defies the laws of gravity and other stuff I don't know.

Still, this helps things.

Without remorse, I used Bang's head as a jump step and reached Noel, grabbing her by her arm. While that happened, I heard the sound of something...collapsing below. If I'm not wrong, that's Tager's frame crashing into something, making the fall even higher. *sigh*

"**Hey, dodge!**"

(WHAM!)

Ack, son of a...!

"Let him go!" Bang roared...oh god, he's doing another of those... "Pulverizing Fist!"

Wait! Aim first before y-

(**CRACK**!)

Ohgodmyribs!

"**That was on purpose, wasn't it, you asshole?**" Glid protested towards Bang, almost like he really wanted to kill him now.

"My apologies..."

Before something else happened, Noel tried to whack me again with her revolvers, but I backflipped and kicked her in the shoulder. Crap. In mid-air, I seriously suck.

(SWISH!)

...And she just disarmed me.

"_Ow! Ow!_" Kraid grunted every time he collided with the walls over me.

Now what? I'm without a weapon, my left arm still hurts like hell and the fight conditions suck for me. Honestly, saying that things went bad quickly is the understatement of the year...

She tried to slash me again, this time I had to use my arms to block, and I tell you, it feels horrible. My left arm started drawing blood again...once more. Why is it always the goddamn left arm? !

"Shuriken Special" Bang shouted.

Warn me first before you shoot!

The half dozen of "shurikens" whistled through the air as both Noel and I dodged, colliding with the wall. Noel tried to use this opening to shoot me in the heart, but I blocked with one of the shurikens I picked out just in time. However, my left hand is bleeding due to the friction that ensued because I grabbed the nail while being thrown at high speeds. Yeah, my left arm is definitely screwed.

I wielded the nail with my right hand as I blocked slashes and shots with more ease than before. She stabbed, I slashed. She dodged, I tackled. She shot, I parried. A tandem of attacks and defense between her and me continued as we started falling down. You know, this fight might be enjoyable...if I could figure how can I stop myself from crashing down with full force with the ground.

Besides, the thought of your own innards splattering in the ground is sickening.

"**Aim for the eyes! Let her cry rivers of blood! ...And kick her body while you're at it.**" What colorful sayings...how usual of you.

(SHATTER!)

Well, shit. The nail broke down with the next two simultaneous slashes. What kind of metal quality is this, you stupid ninja?

And I'm wide open. This is going to hurt.

(SLASH!)

…! S-Stupid ninja!

"Agh!" Bang grunted as he blocked the attack with his gauntlets, holding...huh? You grabbed Kraid? "Quickly, grab your weapon. Free this poor soul from that fiend!"

Don't mind if I do...even if I don't know how the hell this chick went Terminator on us...

Noel noticed what I was planning and axe kicked Bang downwards. I used this chance to attack her wrists, now trying to disarm her. Her thin body made her easy to dodge my attacks and, in the middle of dodging, she transformed her revolvers into the bazooka once again.

Hate to say this, but I won.

"You idiot." I mumbled. "Even if it looks cool..." I kicked the tip of the bazooka upwards, the missile detonating on the walls upwards. "...you never," I hit Noel's wrists with Kraid in succession. "use a bazooka..." Kicked said bazooka out of her grip, which turned back to revolvers. "IN FREAKING CLOSE RANGE!"

I was going to punch her in the face when...

"Eh? What happened?"

You have to be kidding me...

"Huh?" Ah, she started looking down. Here comes the freak out... "AAAHHH!"

*grab*

Ah! Get off me! Get off me!

"...!"

No, seriously! GET OFF ME! Can't you see I cannot move well with you crushing my already broken ribs? Goddammit!

"Bitch! I swear to good god that I'll rip your head off if you don't let me go! NOW!"

That seemed to work since she, either due to her actually listening me or out of fear, obeyed me...partially, since she's still holding me but with less strength.

Not good...but better.

But I still wonder how did she turned back from that Terminator mode to her usual wimpy self...

"**Not to burst your crappy thoughts but...you're still on your way to become fleshy pasta.**"

Ugh...Migraine...coming...

Without paying attention to her, I looked downwards. The red frame of Tager and Bang were visible, along with...are those fuel pipes or whatever?

"**It does say "flammable".**"

"Shut up."

"_Move to the right now!_"

I passed through several openings that the pipes made, ignoring Noel's hysterical screams. To facilitate my movement and to increase the speed, I faced myself downwards.

"What are you doing? ! Are you crazy? ! You'll kill us both! Please, stop this madness!"

Not listening to you.

Now that I was looking where I was falling, I could maneuver better than before. I leaned myself through the openings between pipes with more ease now that Noel turned back. Unfortunately, that came back with the problem that she's screaming. Why can't I just have a break for once?

"_Well, it can't get any worse._" Kraid, you shouldn't have done that...

* * *

Third's PoV

"Dammit, what's with this elevator?" Ragna grumbled as he noticed that the speed that the elevator was descending was too slow for him.

He looked around and walked towards the control panel...or window. Technology here is really weird. Don't ask me more.

"Let's see...Where the damn button?"

He looked at the panel thingy and decided.

(SLAM!)

"Ah, screw it!" Ragna gave up and **smashed** the panel.

The elevator itself stopped abruptly, but resumed its path, now faster than before.

"Alright! Now that's what I'm talking about!"

(BOOM!)

But then he noticed one of the pipes burst into flames outside the elevator, the explosions continuing along the pipe until he couldn't see it anymore.

"...Huh. Well, nobody's here, so I think that won't cause any problem.

* * *

Raim's PoV

(BOOM!)

…! What was that?

(BOOM! KRAKOOM!)

"**Kid, hate to break it to you, but there's a massive ball of fire and possibly rage emerging from the pipes...and it wants to meet you!**"

*sigh* Whyyyy?

As I ignored Noel freak out and checking if my shorts didn't turn brown, I tried to dive faster and the heat of the explosion started reaching me. Curiously enough, I reached Noel's revolvers in mid-air and picked them up myself, one of them with my teeth only. There's no way in hell I'll let Noel mess up this.

"Go faster! It's reaching us!"

I KNOW!

...Faster...Faster!

"_I wonder where the ninja and that red giant went..._" Don't care, Kraid. I'm trying to save my ass!

Faster goddammit, faster!

"_I see the ground!_" Kraid said. Oh wait, THAT'S BAD! TOO BAD!

I managed to outrun the fireball. Good. Now what? Must...what? What? No! Think, calm down...think...First stab the wall. Yes! That'll break my fall!

(STAB!)

I stabbed both Kraid and one of Noel's revolvers on the wall. After some seconds (and after my face stopped being hit by loose debris) I stopped my fall. But the fireball is still coming...and the safe place is on the other side.

I really should have thought this through...

No. Don't think like that. What do you have?

"H-Hey! Why did you stop? Please, don't tell that...!"

Hmm...I could use that.

"Huh?"

(RIIP!)

"Argh! Hey, what are you doing?" Noel squealed as I ripped the belt thingys from her sleeves.

Without losing time, I tied up both ends of the belts together and, using part of the cloth that was around that nail I picked up, I extend it further. Finally, I wrapped it around Kraid and aimed towards a pipe across the chasm. It is a risky move, but what else can I do?

...Call me crazy but hey, in survival, everything eventually looks sane in order to save oneself.

"Here we go! I really give a damn what happens to you, but if you want to live, don't let go!" I said while keeping the revolvers in my pockets.

I hope I'm doing this right...

I kicked off from the wall and let the gravity do the rest. The big fireball of doom's heat started reaching me and my breathing got heavy. Come on...just a bit longer...!

The flames seemed to be roaring behind me, almost like they want to swallow me whole. My head felt faint as both the momentum and the flames got stronger.

(CRACK!)

"Shit!" Oh crap, the pipe broke!

(CRASH!)

* * *

Third's PoV

"_Tager, how's the device?_" Kokonoe yelled through the communicator.

"The frame is okay. I finished checking the internal systems too. They all 100% operational."

"_Well, holy shit, that was close. Thank god I installed boosters on your feet._"

"Remind me to ask you when you installed that..." Tager sighed.

"_Goddammit, that stupid brat almost ruins it._"

"Shouldn't we be worried about them? After all, they did try to help."

"_The kid only helped because he couldn't stand a chance alone. He was just being pragmatic. And the other idiot was just manipulated by him._" Kokonoe said. "_Well, enough of that! Tager, proceed with the mission._"

"Roger." Tager said, but he looked back for a second. "Huh. I could've sworn I heard something back there..."

* * *

"*pant* *pant* That was a close one." Bang let out a sigh of relief as he threw himself to the ground. "In all of my life I've never experienced such danger! ...But I can't stop! Not here, not now! It is my duty to protect the citizens of Kagutsuchi from the claws of EVIL!"

Evil doesn't have claws. Feral animals and the such do. Be more accurate, will ya?

"But still, I wonder about the devil and those two...No matter! I'm sure those two will be fine. After all, there are my rivals!"

...Err...no. **You **think that they are your rivals.

"Now, to dig up the dirt that the NOL hides away from us! I'm sure that if I unravel how fiendish they are, the people will surely open their eyes and administer the right justice! After all, justice never sleeps!"

Dream on.

...Why do I feel I forgot something?

…...Oh.


	9. What lies under

Back where we left...

Oh...

Oh, that's looks horrible.

Debris was still falling from above, which included rocks, pipes and several other electronics. The fireball had subsided, but several cables and pipes broke down in the way down, turning the surrounding even more creepy than it should. Stagnant air flowed through the pipes, turning the air around the area dark and grim.

A pipe with a bokuto still on it landed on the other side of the giant scorched chasm that was formed...but there was no ranting, black haired teen around.

"...Uh..." Noel stood up, the pipe near her. "W-Where am I? ...And where's the foreigner? Hello? Anyone?"

Noel looked around nervously. Not only was she scared, but the loss of one of her revolvers was also a big factor.

Near her, there was an irregular pile of junk and debris, probably recently forming with the fall. She tried shouting for help again, but her voice was the only one she could hear. She started trembling, feeling really helpless in this situation.

"...Ah, it's useless. It's all useless... There's no one here. Then that means..."

Wait...is he dead? Really?

"Oh! H-He took Bolverk with him! I must find him!" she said. "But then again...perhaps he dropped it somewhere around here."

You really need to control your urges to cry Noel.

*rumble*

"Eek!" Noel snapped out of her sadness and look around once more. From the pile of junk, a small hint of silver caught her attention. Yes, one of her Bolverk revolvers was in there. Noel, with renewed hope, ran towards the pile of junk and tried pulling out her weapon.

"Nngh!" Noel pulled once again. "It's stuck... Ah, what do I do now?"

Noel tried pulling again, but the results were the same. Then she tried digging up the revolver instead of pulling directly. After some seconds of doing so...

"Just a bit more..." Noel pulled out with all of her strength.

*pop*

The revolver came out smoothly as Noel cheered for her luck...until she noticed the revolver was being her by **another hand**, with was covered in blood.

Cue freakout in 3...2...1...

"AAAAHHH!"

The whole pipe started shaking as Noel started curling up in fear. For some strange reason, the pile exploded.

(CRUNCH!)

* * *

Raim's PoV

Shit! Ass! Pain! Oh good god, the pain!

"**Ah, quit your bitching! Hey, be grateful, at least you're still alive.**"

"That's only because you need this body."

"**Details, details. Who the hell cares about them?**"

...

So...now what?

I wish I could say those words calmly and in peace, but, seriously, in this kind of situation, I think the words "Oh God, please stop this!" comes to mind.

But you know what? I really got tired of thinking that. And what that girl doing? Curling up in a ball of uselessness?

"**Enough of that, kid.**" the bastard grumbled in the inner sanctum of my mind. "**Just stand up and kill that bitch. Being mauled by that ice psycho is one thing. But to be injured by this whiny bitch...What the hell is wrong with you, kid?**"

"Bite me. She acted too weird when she wielded this."

Ah yes, I forgot to add I grabbed one of her revolvers during the fall. What I can decipher by looking at it is that this girl isn't normal. The weight, the material itself...That reaction she had.

Those eyes aren't those of a conscious person.

"...A-Ah..." Hm? "...Y-Y-You are still alive?" Yes, girl, I'm alive. "But...that's impossible!"

"Oh, come on! I've already been crushed by a pile of junk today. This one was less heavy than the other."

"**Blah blah blah, can we get on with this crap?**"

True. But first, I need to know where the hell am I.

*squirt*

...And do something about my blood loss.

"Hey, you!" I shouted to Noel. "Do you have some bandages or some crap similar to that?"

...No response. Is she still on a shock?

"Hey! Answer, goddammit!"

"B-Blood..."

"Huh?"

"You're covered in too much blood..."

Really, Sherlock? Why, thank you.

...But now that I look at myself with more detail, yeah sure, I'm really covered in blood. I don't know if it is mine only or a mix of mine and another. At this point of time, I really don't care about that. My clothes were also affected. The blue in my clothes started turning red and some part were covered in dirt. My shorts had specks of red all over it and I really feel dizzy...

Also, my left arm's broken now!

...Oh great...That's always not...good...

"Um...Are you feeling okay?"

Oh, how I wish to punch your face because you asked a stupid question...But this is not time for that.

"...Forget about it." I said, trying to think a solution for my situation. And mine only.

Even if I'm in a bloody mess (pun not intended), I can still take advantage of this situation.

*gun cock*

Noel yelped as I aimed this weird gun at her. She must have really good strength in order to hold something of this weight. I can barely aim at her in this state...Must be the blood loss.

"Look...I have one of your weapons. Don't worry, I'm going to give it back, _if_ you are a good girl and help me out."

Man, I'm really standing out as a bad guy. Well, I'll do whatever it takes in order to get back, morals be damned.

"Now...would you kindly walk?"

* * *

Third's PoV

Meanwhile, near the Sheol Gate...

(SLASH!)

"Oh? You really need to be careful with that." Yukari said while dodging Hakumen's attacks. "You really could hurt someone like that."

"What are you, demon?" Hakumen demanded, his grip stronger as he calculated what was Yukari going to do next. "Even the Black Beast didn't have this...presence. Your kind shouldn't be allowed in this world!"

"Oh, please." Yukari sighed. "I'm just passing through, nothing to worry about. Besides..." Yukari took a close look at Hakumen. "To call me unnatural would be hypocrisy, right?"

Hakumen didn't answer back. He knew what Yukari meant, but he didn't have the time to think about something so unimportant right now.

"Your words fall in deft ears, demon. Begone! I have more pressing issues to deal with! Your presence is not wanted here!"

"*sigh* Why is it always that people are so stubborn?"

"I am the White Void. I am the Cold Steel. I am the Just Sword. With blade in hand shall I reap the sins of this world and cleanse it in the Fires of Destruction. I AM HAKUMEN! THE END-!"

"Get on with it."

* * *

Episode 9: What lies under...

* * *

Raim's PoV

I think when one of your eyes is not getting light efficiently is when you really need to worry. Still, since Noel is dressed in blue, I can still aim at her.

"Why is this happening to me?" Noel lamented, walking reluctantly.

"I told you before. Since apparently, your organization controls this place, you should know where this Sheol Gate is located. I don't want to waste any more time...so just take me there."

"But even I don't know what lies under this NOL's branch!"

"...How can I believe you? Maybe you're lying to save your skin."

"T-That's..."

Now, I'm not a total bad guy. I just want to get out of here...Ugh...

"**Hey, kid, get a grip! Don't go dying on me.**"

"I'm okay...Just a...muscle. Yeah, a muscle."

*squirt*

Damn. Lying to myself is getting harder.

"Um..." Noel stopped walking at looked at me. "Are you sure you feel okay?"

"Why should you care? Am I not a criminal to you?"

"W-Well...yeah. But the point is...it is inhuman just to ignore your condition. You really need to rest."

"Oh ho ho ho...nice try, but I won't buy it. The moment I let my guard down, you're going to take this thing back and shoot me. No way I'm doing something that stupid."

"B-But..."

Trusting an officer like her would be suicide. Even if she's clumsy and/or stupid, I cannot be sure if all of this is an act. If it is, the moment I let my guard down, I'm screwed. So the only choice my blood fountain of a body has to survive is to remain like this...Ngh...

…

"...Better pick up the pace." I said to her.

Moments passed while both of us were walking through these unknown parts of the Library, some of them darker than the other. Now that I think of it, above looked more mystical thematically. However, this place looks more like some research facility more than anything. I mean, there were wires, panels, what I think it is a generator of some sort, this place is basically some sort of lab.

I noticed that Noel sometimes stopped to see around, either she doesn't really know about this place...or she remembers something about this place that isn't telling me since her facial expressions tell that to me. Or perhaps something even worse...

Normally, this would pick my interest, but hey, blood loss has more priority than knowledge.

"**Enough inner monologue. Shit, I thought there were going to be something hostile here. I need to kill something!**"

"Shut up." Jesus, you really are quite a problem, you know.

"...Um." Hm? "I was wondering for a while, but...who are you talking to?"

Oh? Ah, yes, she really doesn't know, does she?

"...Fine." I used my free hand to tap my head. "There's some bastard that goes by the name of Glid that, for better or for worse...no, scratch the better, resides in my head."

"**And I tell you, it's cramped in here. Seriously, kid, how many memories do you have in here?**"

"W-What?" Noel, reasonably, freaked out. "B-But that's impossible!"

"Sure. And creating a rocket launcher magically from two revolvers is impossible then, huh?"

I really love when people cannot counter your argument.

"Anyways, I really don't want to talk about it since...Hello? I'm losing blood here."

"O-Oh. I'm sorry." Hey now, don't try using the teary eyes gambit. That doesn't work on me. "So...that being in your head...how did it got there?" Noel apparently tried to calm herself by asking questions. Well, her hands were shaking a bit in the way.

…

...Fine. I'll try be a bit _nicer._

"If you want to know, I have no clue. Bastard just appears out of nowhere..."

"**Saving our asses...**"

"And still doesn't get out of there. Tried some pills from Eirin..."

"**They failed spectacularly.**"

"It did shit." I groaned. "And, even now, I still don't know what to do with him."

"**I do.**" Oh great... "**The sole moment he screws up, I take this body as mine. How cool is that?**"

"And that would be terrible." I finished. "Satisfied?"

"…"

"…"

"...So...he's a ghost?"

"N**o!**"

* * *

Third's PoV

"*sneeze*" Ragna shook. "The hell was that? Was it a ghost or something?

Ragna sighed.

"...No. There cannot be ghosts on an elevator. Nope. Not a chance. Definitely not. Must be imagining things."

Ragna stood there, with his arms crossed, waiting for the elevator to finish descending. But his feet started tapping in both impatience and...discomfort?

Wait, he isn't seriously scared, is he?

"...Shit, this place is cold..."

* * *

Raim's PoV

"Then..." Noel started thinking (for once!) "What _is_ he?"

"Hell if I know." I shrugged. "Keep walking."

"But in all due honestly, I'm more confused now that you told me what you know..." Noel said. "If I had to guess, I..."

"**I didn't ask for your opinion, bitch.**"

"Eek!" Noel froze. "I...I'm sorry."

"**Jesus Christ, you need to grow a spine! Seriously, your constant whining is really pissing me off. Hell, it even makes you **_**less**_** prone to me killing you since you're so pathetic...well, you **_**were**_** kind of a challenge back there, but now, you're just a stupid girl...again.**"

And the dam broke. Noel started sobbing, until it turned into a full cry not moments later...*sigh* Why do I have to be around the weird ones?

Seriously, a boisterous ninja, a talking masked cat, a psycho kid with an oversized doll, a psycho gay brother, an even more snobbish vampire than Remilia (and familiars), a giant red cyborg guy and a really incompetent girl. The most normal person I've met until now is Ragna, who is a terrorist.

This world is crazy.

"*sob* *sob*"

"Hey, stop it already!" I snapped. Looking at her crying just...ruins the mood for me. "Look, this guy always says things harshly, take that for granted. However, that doesn't mean you can freely stay there, crying as if waiting for someone to help you. Guess what? In this world or another, people should learn to fend of by themselves. Like Ragna for example. So far from what I know, he has suffered more crap than you and he doesn't angst or something similar. So stop crying and grow up!"

Noel calmed down a bit, thinking about what I just said...or so I hope. Frankly, I do not have high hopes on her. People cannot change one day from the other...but at least I can put some sense on her mind.

"...I guess..." Noel grabbed one of her arms in embarrassment. "But..."

Huh?

"I promised to them I won't change..."

"What are you talking about?" I raised an eyebrow.

"**Oh great. She's whining aga-**"

"You're wrong!" Whoa, she talked back! "You see...I promised Tsubaki and Makoto I won't change, so..."

Tsubaki? Makoto? Who the hell are they?

"Look...I really don't know who the hell are you talking about, nor I care...However, people cannot just stay the same for their entire lives. I don't know if they told that in another context, but hear me out...You could just merely grow up some guts while keeping your personality and there, problem solved." I said. "Satisfied?"

"I see. That could work...but I really don't know if I can be strong as them."

Oh my good god. She's at it again.

*sigh*

While I sighed, a paper slipped out of Noel's uniform. She tried to pick it up quickly, but I was faster.

"Ahh!"

"What is this?" Let's see...

…

…

…

...What.

"**I agree.**"

"Is...is this supposed to be a poem?"

Hey, I said I tried to be a nice guy, not that I wasn't going to be honest.

"This needs work. A _lot_ of it."

Noel lowered her head. Crap...

"You know what...forget it. Here, just take it." I handed Noel back the piece of paper, which she hid in her uniform.

...Now that I think of it...

"What's with your uniform?"

"Excuse me?"

"No really. I don't understand why is your back exposed. Nor why your skirt is so short. Have you ever thought your employers are perverts?"

"What? !"

"'Cause in all due honesty, if that's how they dress your females operatives..."

"**Perhaps the NOL is full of sexually repressed people and/or voyeurs. Or they're just insane. I mean, just looking at that psycho blond guy hints it.**"

"True."

Noel seemed that was going through a shock with my theory. She looked at herself once and started shuddering.

"Although the hat and the detached sleeves are A-OK. Especially the sleeves. Reminds of Reimu..."

"Who's this Reimu you're talking about?"

"It's not important right now." I said, trying to change the subject.

We resumed the walk, the mood at least a bit better than before.

…

...And you know what?

"Hey."

"Eh?" Noel turned around as I threw her back her revolver. She clumsily tried to grab it in mid-air, but she failed anyways.

"**Kid...what the hell are you doing?**" the bastard complained.

...Well, I just decided that I'm practically a walking mass of blood and torn flesh. Therefore, giving her back her weapons might save our asses later if something else happens around here. Just look at me! I could barely carry that thing!

"**How can you be sure about that? There's no way in hell you know what'll happen! Shit! I'm ****almost sure this will backfire soon! Remember my words, kid!**"

Word.

I noticed Noel sighed in relief as she hid her revolvers god knows where. Huh, I expected relief, sure, but not to this degree...

"Those things too important to you?" I asked.

"Eh?" she seemed pensive. "N-No. It's not like that. Well...I'm not pretty sure myself, but...when I hold Bolverk, I feel both safe and calm..."

"**And efficient.**"

"So they are a memento, huh?"

"No."

What?

"You see...these Nox Nyctores...they just appeared out of nowhere when I was attacked some years ago...and since then..."

"Wait wait wait..." Stop. "You're expecting me to believe that those things just...materialized to protect you without a warning?"

"Y-Yes."

Bullsh-...no, wait. Stop. Breathe...

I am in a world where there are psycho brothers, cyborgs, masked cat girls and other impossible crap. Surely, in this place, there _must_ be a justification for this.

"**Ignoring that crap...**" Glid interrupted the conversation. "**Do you really know where we are going or you're just as lost as us?**"

Noel looked to her surroundings, doubt in her face. Yep, we are all lost...

*facepalm*

...Oh great. Now my hand is full of blood too...

…

"_! Hey, kid, you're bleeding from your forehead!_"

...Hold on...am I bleeding from my head? That's not a good sign. And...I think my vision is getting fuzzy...

Aw crap...

"**Hey hey, don't go dying on me right now!**" Glid said. "**I need this body!**"

Crap...must...keep...focus...and blood...on brain...!

"Are you okay? You don't look so good..." Oh really, Noel? What else?

"Shut up."

Wait...

"Hey, you! Say something stupid again!" I demanded.

"Eh?"

"NOW!"

I'm not sure if she yelped or just stood there...I can't see very well now...

"Eh...well...um..."

(THUD!)

I fell to my knees, my arms barely managing to keep me from kissing the ground.

"Ah! W-Well..." Come on, Noel, say something! Anything! "P-P-Perhaps we should talk about why I joined the NOL in the first place."

...Yes...A topic. Mildly interesting...That'll work...Ugh...

"Go on..."

"Okay."

She started breathing...or was it a sigh? I cannot distinguish anymore...

However, I **did** feel my arm and the left part of my body being supported by her body. She's helping me walk now...

"Well, I'm not actually a true Vermillion. I was adopted some years ago by them and I have treated them as my family ever since. However, one day, I found out that my family were banished from the NOL due to my father criticizing the NOL..."

How...ironic...that you are serving them...

"Worried about that and after the incident with Bolverk, I decided to join the NOL by taking the exam at Torifune. I managed to pass because of my aptitude with armagus was unnaturally high. Both my physical and academical levels weren't very high..."

Ha ha...Ugh...

"**Heh. Something weird is going on that organization to just let you in because of such a small ****detail. Haven't you asked yourself that?**"

"To be honest, I haven't."

"So...you regret...joining this crappy organization?"

"N-Not at all. After all, if I didn't, I wouldn't have met Tsubaki or Makoto. Those two helped me so much...I just can't imagine my life without them..."

Those two names have come up too many times...Must've been very important to her...

"After he graduated, I was..."

...Why did you stop...? Wait...are you...doubting about something...?

"Um...would you keep this a secret?"

...You're asking me, a wanted criminal in your eyes, to keep a secret?

…

...It is not that I cannot keep secrets, but it is **you** that will have problems if you keep trust strangers like this! Good god!

...But at least this got me pissed enough to get over my blood loss.

"Sure." I answered back, my complete incredulity about her naivety showing in my face. "Go ahead. Your secret's safe with me."

Her face was filled with relief as she spoke.

"Actually, just after the Major graduated, I was given the offer to immediately join the army as a lieutenant in the Praetorian guard. I was startled by this, but when they added that if I accepted, my family would regain their status...I just..."

…

"...You idiot."

"Eh?"

"So...you became a dog for the military for the sake of your family? To be honest, I really don't see nothing special in the bonds of family...perhaps because I didn't have one, but that's not the point. I would never, EVER, give up my freedom in order to achieve something!"

"…"

Oh, don't you dare clam up ag-!

"...But then..."

Eh?

"...H-How can you still be alive? People cannot live without other people!"

...

...*sigh*...

"Just...forget about it..."

"...M-May I continue?"

"...Meh."

Noel continued. The slight anger about her...reasons for joining is keeping me alive.

...But why the hell am I angry? Sure, I pisses me off she sold off her freedom, but...she's doing it for the sake of someone else...

...Why does it piss me off so much?

"The truth is that officialy, I was assigned to be Mayor Kisaragi's..."

"Stop with the Major crap..." Hehe... "Call him by his real name...which it was...Jin, right?"

"...B-But..."

"I can crack your neck."

"Eep!" Good girl. "I-I was assigned to be...Jin's secretary, but in reality, I was assigned to be a special solo soldier tasked with intelligence and...assassination."

"**Damn. Nice job!**"

"No it isn't!" She actually shouted back! "How can you say something like murder is nice?"

"**...Because it's nice to kill?**"

"What is wrong with you?"

My thoughts exactly.

"Continue."

"Y-Yes." You know, you _could_ have stopped there. Apparently, the fact that I am a _criminal_ in your eyes _still_ doesn't reach your brain. "After that, notices about Ragna the Bloodedge's actions on several branches, especially the 9th hierarchical city of Akitsu, in which he...murdered every single operative on sight, no matter if it was a men or a women..."

By himself? I gotta admit, I know he's strong since I saw how he fights...but to raze an entire city by himself...*whistle*

"**That was hardcore! What else did he do?**"

"Y-You're not scared? Ragna the Bloodedge is..."

"I don't care if he killed people before." I said. "What matters to me is that he helps me. Besides, we have the same objective but with different purpose...that gate that rabbit bitch talked about..."

Noel blinked in confusion, proving to me that she really didn't know anything about the Gate, which is good. She seemed discomforted with my opinion about Ragna going on a killing spree. I basically give a damn about that. Why getting sad about the death of people who I don't know?

...Or perhaps I feel like this since I've never formed very good relationships with people except for one...

"...Do you even have friends?" Noel asked, apparently...offended? Guess she values friends and family in a high regard.

"I had one." ...I wonder how is she right now. "...And recently, perhaps I could count Reimu as one..."

"**The red white? Geez, she just uses you to clean her place.**"

"Just because I'm in debt with her. And besides, sometimes I decide not to help."

"How rude! She's your friend!"

True, I consider her almost like that. But nobody said that friends might be distant from each other...or perhaps only **I** think like that...

"But whatever is the case, I'm in debt with her, so I'll do everything I can to be even."

Noel seemed confused. Between she believing I'm good with murder and be this calm, she's having a reasonable hard time understanding me.

"...I misunderstood you."

Excuse me?

"At first, I thought you were just a criminal like Ragna the Bloodedge...but now, I'm not sure... Since you at least have a friend you can trust on, you cannot be that bad of a person."

**That's** your logic? I'm...really worried about you now...but thanks anyway.

However...

"If you think I'm not that bad of a person, then you should meet Ragna too. I'm just saying."

"Meet Ragna the Bloodedge? What are you talking about?"

"Well, _this_ criminal knows that Ragna isn't as bad as me. At least he decided to feed an oversized cat with his own money. Sure, he may act angry almost every other time, but he seemed like a normal person to me...only with slight anger issues. And besides..."

"What is it?"

"...Since I trust Ragna a bit, doesn't that make me his friend?"

The realization hit Noel like a truck. She blinked once and shook her head. At this point, I felt better enough to walk on my own, and apparently my wounds dried up, making the blood loss stop.

...That's...not supposed to happen so soon.

"Anyways...thanks for the help." I said, letting myself out of her grasp. "I'm better now."

"No problem."

"**So...we are back to being enemies or not? Can we fight again or what?**"

Don't ruin it.

"No." Huh? "You helped me, right? And, since you're apparently not in a good state to defend yourself..."

Hey!

"...and I really don't where am I, why don't we stick together until we find an exit? I have no problems at all trusting you."

Only because I saved your ass back there? Are you sure I'm that trustful? ...Then again, you helped me walk this far...and your constant whining keep me conscious enough not to die of blood loss...

…

…

...*sigh*

"Just don't do anything stupid."

"**I really doubt that's going to happen.**" Glid's voice was filled with sarcasm.

"Shut up."

Noel nodded as we walked deeper through the basement.

And is it me or does the deeper we go, the thicker the seithr gets? Not only that but...why do I feel better the closer I am to the seithr? ...*shrug* Whatever the hell it's the reason, it's convenient.

...But I really feel uncomfortable about it...

* * *

Third's PoV

The wall behind Hakumen collapsed due to the sheer force of several knife shaped bullets that flew menacingly through the air. Hakumen did a horizontal slash, destroying the projectiles while creating black orbs where the bullets where. This amused Yukari, but amusement had to wait, since, even if she was back to her normal self, she still didn't have time to spare.

"You really shouldn't pick a fight with me, you know. I have matters to attend you, so be a good...being and more along."

"Hmph!" Hakumen snorted, taking Yukari's words as a bad joke. "You do not have the right to speak to me, demon. Leave this place at once!"

"Oh my... You're one of those who just don't listen, do you?" Yukari sighed as she entered inside her gap in order to evade Hakumen's attack and appeared five feet over him. "Isn't the display of my ability enough to make you understand how different we are in power levels?"

"...Preposterous! No matter how strong you are, I will not concede defeat against you!"

Hakumen charged at Yukari, which tried opening a gap in front of Hakumen, but he **cut down** the gap in half!

Hey, if he can cut time, he can do this too...

"Oh? That some skill you have. But really, you risk ripping a fabric in reality, dooming us all, if you even commit one little mistake."

"I do NOT commit mistakes. Now, fight!"

Yukari sighed as she "complied" to Hakumen's words and started shooting several kunais over the whole room. Some of them rebounded from the walls, homing at Hakumen. However, he didn't succumb to tension or fear. Instead, he calmly stood in a Iai-stance, preparing himself to cut every single projectile.

The air was cut in an instant.

"_Hmm...not bad for just a fifth of my power..._"

Not only Hakumen's slash destroyed the bullets. It also created vacuum crests where the bullets were...and if you recall what is the standard quantity of bullets that occur in normal danmaku in Gensokyo, it is practically safe to say that there were a lot of these crests around him.

"Hyaaaa!"

With a shout, Hakumen slashed the crests, making them head towards Yukari, which dodged with ease. Hakumen then tried dashing towards her, attempting a diagonal slash, but Yukari blocked with her umbrella. He followed up with Gurren, attempting to attack her stomach, but she opened a gap in front of her stomach, which opened behind Hakumen. However, since Hakumen's body is filled with red eyes, he managed to see and dodge his own attack. He spun and tried launching a kick towards her, making her block with her free arm and after that, she entered back to her gap.

"Coward! Show yourself!"

"I'm right here. And I'm not a coward, mind you." Yukari smiled, just above Hakumen. "You really need to cool off, you know? I just want to find out a problematic child."

"For your information, no one has passed through this area. Don't try to delude me, demon!"

"...You really have social problems, don't you?" Yukari said.

Hakumen ignored the insult and decided to continue the attack, when...

"Huh? What the hell is this?"

Why hello, Ragna! What took you so long?

"...So you finally arrived, Dark One."

"…!"

Ragna instantly froze. No, more like if the Azure Grimoire...shook in fear just be the presence of Hakumen. He felt fear, something rare for him. His instincts tell him that Hakumen was dangerous, far more dangerous than Jin and any other hard encounter he faced. Yukari, partially amused, saw the scene from above.

"Bastard...Who are you?"

"I'm the end of you." Hakumen stated.

"...And who's that bitch?" Ragna asked.

"…" Hakumen understandably remained silent.

"Oh, you're him." Yukari said, recognizing his face immediately. "This is perfect. Hey, Bloodedge-san..."

"...Ah great...More crap to add to the pile." Ragna sneered, his anger making him feel better already.

"What business do you have with the Beast, dem-?"

"Nobody asked you." Ouch, Yukari. "Listen, Bloodedge-san. I've heard from a not really trustworthy source that you were currently traveling with a...annoying pest. I'm here to take him back. _And to figure out what did he meant too..._" Yukari thought the last part.

"W-What?" Ragna struggled to speak. "You mean the..."

"Answer me, demon." Hakumen cut the conversation. "What is your business with the Dark One? I never seen you before...Are you one of his allies?"

"Oh, you think I'm with him? Oh no no no no no... You're definitely wrong. I'm just...passing by. However, I really need to find that kid."

"Who the hell are you?" Smooth, Ragna. Very smooth. "Damn it! Somebody tell me what the hell is going on here!"

"Is something the matter? You seem to be shaking, Ragna the Bloodedge." Hakumen said. "Is this pitiful child the best the world has to offer?"

Hakumen's voice trembled as he unsheathed his sword. A long, silver blade, was pointed at both Ragna and Yukari.

"Draw your sword, Dark One." Hakumen said, ignoring Yukari completely.

"Tch. Get out of my way, masked freak!"

"I am the White Void. I am the Cold Steel. I am the-"

"Blah blah blah, your name is Hakumen, our end has come, right?" Yukari mocked Hakumen in the fastest way she could.

Hakumen's answer to that was to dash forward, trying to slash Yukari in half. However, she hid in her gap, the attack heading towards Ragna.

SLASH!

"Shit!" Ragna spat as he barely dodged Hakumen's attack. "And why me?"

"Do not get cocky. Remember that you still have to fight me, Black Beast."

"Tch!" Ragna brandished Blood Scythe to block Hakumen's Ookami. He stepped back and released a Death Spike to lessen Hakumen's movement. However, he simply slashed the emerging head.

"…!"

"Weak. You're not showing your true power, are you?"

"Shit... It's not over yet!" Ragna roared, jumping towards him with both hands on his blade, attempting to hack Hakumen in two. However, Hakumen effortlessly blocked with his sword and even pushed back Ragna just by swinging it. Now it was Hakumen's turn to go to the offense, since he jumped at Ragna and attempted an overhead. He blocked with Blood Scythe, but...

"Tsubaki!"

(SLASH!)

A wound opened right next to Ragna's shoulder, blood coming out quickly. Ragna let out a curse as he forced back Hakumen with a Gauntlet Hades, which Hakumen blocked, but followed up with a Hell's Fang, hitting him on the chest, but apparently doing no damage whatsoever.

"Wha-?"

(SLASH!)

"Argh!" Ragna was sent flying towards the rocks in the area, shattering them on contact. "Shit! What with this guy...Ugh!"

Ragna noticed that his wounds were not healing correctly...In fact, they weren't healing at all.

"Dammit...What with that sword?"

"Ara~?" Yukari appeared from a gap that opened right next to Ragna. "Having problems?"

"Gah! Don't do that! Wait...are you a ghost or something?" Ragna freaked out, but then came down to his senses. "Whatever. Just get the hell outta my way. I don't trust you."

"But aren't you injured a bit? *sigh* Honestly, what's with men and their belief that they can do everything?"

...Well, they are kind of idiots...

"...Shut up. God, you're acting like the rabbit...Get out my way, old hag!"

"_Why do people see me as a hag? It's getting really old..._" Yukari innerly sighed as both of them managed to dodge Hakumen's Squall, one by gapping and the other by jumping off the rock, rolling on the ground as he stood up.

"Do not forget about me, demons. The ones of your kind must perish!"

"Tch! Stupid...masked freak..."

Yukari quickly noticed that Ragna's arm was slightly shaking. With that in mind, she asked...

"You're afraid of him, aren't you?"

"What?" Ragna glared at Yukari. "Shut up already! You're really annoying!"

Hakumen dashed forward, but Ragna anticipated this and attacked with Inferno Divider. Hakumen quickly stopped and unleashed a swift Tsubaki, nullifying the attacks instantly. But Ragna followed with a Gauntlet Hades, thinking that Hakumen would get stunned after the shock...

"Futile!"

Hakumen created a crest in front of his arm, as if expecting the attack...

*tink*

"What the...?"

Ragna didn't know what was happening as Hakumen flicked him with enough strength to make him spin. He then dashed towards Ragna and made an upward slash, launching Ragna to the air. Hakumen jumped as delivered several slashes, some of which Ragna couldn't block efficiently, leaving wounds near his abdomen and shoulder. Ragna tried using Belial Edge, which genuinely surprised Hakumen and managed to actually hit him. However, the damage wasn't severe, so Hakumen recovered quickly. Ragna...on the other hand...

"*pant* *pant* Shit!"

"You know, it would be easier for you if you just..." Yukari started, but...

"I have told you already! I don't need your help!"

"I'm not trying to help you entirely, you know." Yukari said. "I just need you alive in order to tell me where the kid is."

"The kid?" Ragna blinked as he forced him to stand up correctly. "You mean Raim?"

Yukari nodded, but part of her shouted "Finally!"

"Yes, him." she continued, as both of them side stepped to dodge another incoming Squall. "Where is he now?"

"Hell if I know." Ragna said. "Last time I saw him, he fell downwards through a hole when I was fighting the idiot of Jin...but..."

"Wait wait wait..." Yukari stopped him, herself feeling not so good right now. "You're telling me that you lost sight of him and you do not know if he's even still **alive**?"

"...Unfortunately. The kid, so far, is the only sane person I've met in this forsaken place. I'm also worried a bit about that guy."

Yukari really wanted to strangle him. But then again, she _could_. However, doing that would be out of character and a waste of time.

"*sigh* This is useless. Forget about it, you're useless to me now." Yukari opened a gap, ready to leave.

"Keh! About damn time you left..."

(BOOM!)

"Goddammit!" Ragna cursed as he avoided the constant Squalls.

Yukari had dissappeared.

"Now that that demon has left, we have a fight to finish, Dark One."

"Have anyone told you that you need to shut up?"

* * *

Raim's PoV

...Danger. I sense danger.

"Huh?" Noel noticed my alertness. "What is it?"

"**Geez... This girl doesn't have a sense for danger, does her?**"

"Eh?"

"_True. Something is not right here._"

"Okay...we should thread carefully from now on."

We have been walking in circles for a while...and it was getting a bit boring, if you ask me. Also, the purple mist around this place is getting thicker. Even Noel commented about it, but I really don't feel ill or something like that.

Anyways, we have passed the machinery area and arrived to some sort of clearing that was devoid of life. No sound at all...with the exception of what I think they are sword clashes...

"**I think we should check that out.**"

"No. No more stupid conflicts for me. Thank you." I said. "Let's go...that way."

"Are you sure?" Noel asked, obviously doubting my decision.

"...Well, yeah. Have a problem with it?"

"Um...I'm not sure but...my intuition says that that's not a good route to take."

"*sigh* Intuition? Why does people trust in stuff like that?" Honestly, Reimu too has this intuition of hers, but that doesn't mean I like that. "Look, we'll take this route, alright? It is the one with the most mist so I think that Cauldron thing must be where this mist is the thickest.

"Mist? What mist?" Don't play around, Noel. I mean this purple mist that's all over the area.

Sighing, I ignored her as I walked forward the route I chose.

(BOOM!)

Huh?

"What was that?"

(BOOM!)

I noticed some sort of...curve wave was heading towards us. I jumped to the left as Noel, but since I'm not completely healing, I slumped down. Dammit...why the hell do I get into these shitty situations?

"**Heads up!**"

Aw crap...The ceiling it cracking!

Before Noel could scream, I grabbed her from her arm and started running...that is, until my legs started getting numb.

"Shit! Not now..."

Come on...come on...

*rumble*

"We're going to die!"

"SHUT UP!"

I see a light!...Or something like that!

"**Jump NOW!**"

I'm trying!

*RUMBLE*

…

…

…Am I alive?

Let's see...arms, good. Legs, as they should. Torso, not pierced, that's good. Head, okay, ignoring the blunt trauma from before...

...Am I Rasputin or what?

"Kid? Kid, is that you?" Ragna! At last!

"What have we talked about? Don't call me "kid"!"

Hey, I made it! See, Noel, I was right!

"Ugh...huh?" Noel opened her eyes as she looked directly at Ragna and the other man...or thing, I'm not sure myself.

* * *

Third's PoV

"That was a complete waste of time." Yukari thought. "I wonder how much time has passed already..."

Since she knew that Raim apparently "fell" somewhere from above, and the fact that she knows has suspicions of from where exactly did he fall, she gapped herself to the giant chasm, where several people avoided death...and stuff.

Somehow, being old has its advantages.

"So he fell through here... I really should have checked under that pile of rocks and debris back there..."

You think?

"Anyways...he should be around here...if he didn't die first." Yukari looked up, noticing that, indeed, the fall was incredibly high. "Nevertheless..."

"Alright, Kokonoe, I've set the final device." Tager's voice echoed from the other side of the chasm.

"_Shut your mouth and turn it on already!_"

Yukari looked for the source of the voice and found Tager, setting up what it looked like some sort of mini-antenna.

"Well, he or it is the only living being around here..."

Yukari entered her gap while focusing on Tager's location.

* * *

Raim's PoV

"Hmph. This presence... I see, you are another demon."

Oh great, first a stupid ninja calls me that and now a...cyborg samurai is calling me that too? I have said "Screw it!" everything pertaining the weird that happens here, but even things like him...it need some goddamn explanation.

"Okay. Just what the hell are you?" I shouted.

"My thoughts exactly." Ragna said.

"He...he has no face... But..." Noel whimpered.

...Right. Focus on the problem at hand. Who's this guy?

"The stench of a demon comes out of too. What a pity. You look completely human from the outside, but something inside you..."

"Yeah, I know. This guy on my head never shuts up, doesn't he?"

"**Ugh. Knock it off.**"

"…" Geez, white guy. You're really not the talkative type, are ya? But then again, after the ninja and Energizer, this actually might be an improvement.

"So...anything important happen around here?" I asked Ragna.

"Eh, nothing much. Some bitch was harassing me about...nah. It's not important right now."

…? Oh well.

"But anyways, good to see you're okay."

"Gee thanks."

"...And what's she doing here?"

I looked at Noel, which was still cowering at the sight of Ragna. I noticed she was about to point her guns at him...but she stopped herself, knowing that this situation was bad enough.

"About time you did something smart." Ragna commented.

"S-Shut up!" Noel...was that the best comeback you could come with? "I'm still wary about you, Ragna the Bloodedge."

"Ugh...Just stay the hell out of the way, idiot."

Alright, time to focus on this g-

...Huh? Where did he go?

I felt Ragna push me just in time as the rock behind me was effortlessly cut in two. I rolled forward, ignoring the pain in my body. Ragna was parrying his attacks on reaction and Noel seemed to be paralyzed in fear. However, it seems Ragna's already injured somewhere since he isn't moving as fast as before.

Since I need him alive to know where the hell is that Gate, I rushed towards Hakumen and tried attacking from behind.

(BLOCK!)

"The hell?"

(SLASH!)

T-That's impossible! He couldn't have seen the attack while he was attacking Ragna. Unless...are those red things **eyes**?

"**Feh. The white bastard sure has something useful on his body. Makes me wonder how can someone keep control of every eye in that situation.**"

Tch! This is bad... So I cannot sneak behind nor do any kind of trick on him. And, in this state, it is the only choice I have!

"Carnage...!"

Ragna moved incredibly...or should I say, slid through the ground and tried to elbow Hakumen, but he blocked with his sword...no, it's a nodachi. A rectangular one, to be precise.

"...Scissors!"

A stream of black and red energy in the shape of scissors took Hakumen by surprise as the impact send him flying through several rocks and columns. The structure in which he landed started collapsing, almost ensuring that he doesn't rise up again.

...*sigh* That was close.

"Nice move you got there, Ragna!" I said.

"Yeah. Just don't copy it."

"Ehh..."

"Hmph!" Ah crap, the masked freak is back up. "Is that the best you can do?"

"What?" Ragna was visibly shocked, and so did I.

The white guy dashed forward. Ragna tried using a Dead Spike, but this one was...oddly, skimming through the ground. Sadly, the man cut the black head in two and continued onwards.

...And at this rate, my body will either shut down due to exhaustion or because this guy will kill me.

"**Try using one of the cards!**"

In this situation, I think I'm going to take every risk. So I took out the spell card I thought it was right for this situation.

I shouted its name...but...

"No...not again! Work! You! Piece of! CRAP!"

(CLENCH!)

.A...Agh...

"How disappointing. I've sensed something strong in you, but it seems it was just a mistake from my part."

...Can't...bre...aghh...

I...I'm in deep shit. I even...let go of the...spell card...

"Stop! You're killing him!" Is...that...ack...you, Noel? "Wait, I've seen you somewhere before...No, that's impossible! You're Hakumen, one of the Six Heroes!"

"Hmm..." Ack...agh...

Egh...eh...why are you...?

(THUD!)

"Ack...ack...*breathe*...Why did you let me go?"

The next thing I saw was the other end of a katana.

"It will be a more fitting end for you to be killed by my blade. Return to the darkness that gave you birth. Your end has COME!"

Shit!

"**Aw crap!**"

* * *

Third's PoV

"_Is it done yet? Goddammit, Tager, we don't have time for you to..._"

"I'm calibrating it as fast as I can! Please, be patient. Besides, I'm replacing the cover with some parts of this motorcycle that fell off."

"Hello."

Tager stopped in a shock and so did Kokonoe. They did not expect a "hole in space" to appear suddenly over Tager and honestly, who can blame them? She's Yukari.

"W-What the hell?"

"_Holy crap! WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM?_"

"Wow. Such language! I was just...passing by."

"K-Kokonoe...! Was that...?"

"_But...that's impossible! She couldn't! Opening a hole from nothing just isn't possible!_"

"Oh, don't think much about it. You'll get a headache." Yukari said. "But know...could you guys answer my one and only question?"

"_Screw you! Even though you are a viable subject to analyze, we just cannot waste any goddamn __minute now. Shit, Tager! Is it done already?_"

"Just some seconds..."

"Hey, I just want to know if you have seen an annoying kid!" Yukari forced her question once again.

Kokonoe raised an eyebrow. Then realization dawned on her.

"_Oh~. You mean that bastard from before..._" Kokonoe said. "_Not sure why you're looking for him. He's just a stupid kid._"

"Well, _that_ stupid kid is...well, it is not important at all, but I need to find him in order to find my "ace on the hole".

"_...Your what?_" Kokonoe said. "_You know what, screw it. I really have time for you, so move along, meat!_"

Yukari slammed her hand on the device surprising Tager and Kokonoe.

"I'm trying to be nice. Please...don't make this situation worse." Yukari forced a smile, but the gesture her hand was making showed that she was slowly losing her patience...again.

"...Kokonoe, I think that..."

"_Ugh..._" Kokonoe sighed, knowing too well what Tager was going to suggest. "_Fine! Just whatever it takes to make you go away! God!_"

As Yukari smirked, Kokonoe spoke.

"_Well, I can assure you that the kid fell through this damn roof. And see the bloodstains over there?_" Kokonoe made Tager point to the small trail of blood. "_It seems that the kid and the other girl managed to survive and headed that way. Satisfied?_"

"But of course! Thanks for your cooperation!" Yukari smiled to herself, as Tager turned on the device.

...But then, something started to bug her.

"...Hold on... When you mean "that way", you mean that strange plateau with the strange white samurai?"

"_...So you met Hakumen, huh?_" Kokonoe said, sounding irritated after all of this ordeal.

"And the kid was apparently going there..."

"…"

"..."

"May I say something?" Tager interrupted. "Isn't that, statistically speaking, bad for y-?"

"Don't. Say. Anything." Yukari said.

"By the way, it is done, Kokonoe!" Tager said. "You can start it up when you want."

"_About goddamn time!_" Kokonoe scoffed, apparently satisfied that everything at least went according to plan. "_Alright then...initiating casual interruption!_"

* * *

Raim's PoV

…

...Huh?

"What?" Hakumen, I think that's what Noel called him...it, was stopped by some sort of purple energy that surrounded him in a sphere-like manner. Not only that, he started...fading between blinks. "Guh! How dare you interrupt me, Grimalkin?"

Grimalkin?

"Get out of my way, Grimalkin!"

Hakumen started focusing and, after some seconds, he...

"HREEAAAAAAAH!"

(BOOM!)

…!

* * *

Third's PoV

Raim was sent flying through the whole plateau with such force that he broke one of the rocks on impact. Noel was also visibly sent flying due to the shockwave, further inside. Ragna, however, managed to keep his footing, looking visibly pissed.

"*pant* *pant*"

Hakumen tried catching his breath. However, as soon as he was recovering, a voice echoed through the field.

"_I-Impossible! The casual interrupting was dispelled?_" A frightened Kokonoe said. "_But __that's...Tager, you DID set the devices as I told you, right?_"

"_Affirmative. I-I still don't get what went wrong!_"

I can answer that.

* * *

(BOOM!)

"Mew?" a confused Taokaka saw a metal device cruising through the top of the plating that covered the Kaka village. It was burning and rotating like a twister. And Tao thought it was food.

"Whoaaa! That looked awesome!" Taokaka said as jumped excitedly, trying to reach the falling object.

And yes...said device was the same that both Raim and Ragna crushed under their weight. Strange coincidence, huh?

* * *

"_Hey, get out of there! You're not strong to beat h- Hey, what are you doing?_"

The voice of Kokonoe was soon replaced with another, more mature voice.

"_Kid, I expect you are there! Hey, Raim! Are you there?_"

"_What the... Hey, don't interrupt me!_"

"Wh-Who the hell are you? ...Wait, that voice... You're the bitch from before, are you? Stop talking inside my head!" Ragna was getting annoyed due to the ridiculous situation he was in.

"_Where's the kid, Rag-?_"

"_That doesn't matter!_" Kokonoe interrupted. "_Just get the hell out of there!_"

"_Egh. Enough. I'll see by myself what is going on there!_" Yukari said.

"_Huh? NO! Don't do that!_"

Ragna then managed to hear a sound resembling something "ripping the air", or something like that. But, if the panic he heard just later meant something is that it went horribly, horribly wrong. He just couldn't understand what was happening there.

"What?" Ragna struggled to stand up. "Could someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

He then noticed two important things. One, Raim's body was on the other side of the field, apparently unconscious due to the impact on solid rock. Two...Noel was acting strange. Her gaze was off and somewhat robotic and she seemed to look to the horizon...and then proceeded to walk.

And three...

(SLASH!)

"Gah!" Ragna grunted as another wound opened near his stomach. "Bastard!"

"Your time is done, Ragna the Bloodedge... The ruler of the netherworld calls your name." Nice poetry, Hakumen.

"*pant* As much as I want to get the hell out of here, I don't think I can..."

* * *

Raim's PoV

...My ears are ringing... That's not a good sign.

In fact, feeling that half of your body is dead is _really_ a bad sign. However, I'm still surprised I'm not dead yet...nor have severe blunt trauma nor fractures.

"My head...ugh..."

Come on...stand up. Slowly...

...There. That's much better.

"**Holy crap, I did not expect that guy to do that...**" Neither did I. "**But what confuses me most is your lack of broken bones and limbs. I mean, seriously, what the hell?**"

"...That isn't the matter here. Where's everyone?"

Shaking out my dizziness, I turned around to see Ragna still facing off Hakumen. However, he was putting his right arm before him as I felt some weird sense of foreboding. I really feel uncomfortable right now.

"Restriction 666 released..."

The shell in Ragna's hand "opened", revealing something within, in a deep crimson color. Suddenly, I noticed the air felt stagnant for a second...no, scratch that, it felt like the air was being sucked into his hand.

"...Dimensional Interference Field Deployed!"

The suction increased. Hakumen stood in place, but I really had to stand my footing, due to me being incredibly tired and since the pull was gradually getting stronger every second.

"**…! Oh~, I think I understand what he's doing.**"

What do you mean?

"Blazblue, activate!"

A pulse of darkish red energy emerged from Ragna. The air quickly returned to normal, but Ragna itself was surrounded by a quite menacing aura. I know that I should be questioning myself how the hell this happened, but hey, stranger shit happened today. Why bother?

"So...you've shown your true power." Hakumen commented, getting back into his battle stance. "Perfect. Now I can show you why a demon like you shouldn't exist in this world!"

"Enough with the crappy poetry and just fight!"

Hakumen complied and dashed towards Ragna, a thin white aura around him...or it. Whatever. Hakumen's actions, however, were faster and more fluid than before, changing from a normal dash to a kick, then to an overhead blow, which Ragna now grabbed with...his claws?

Not only Ragna's body was engulfed in a red aura, but he now could call forth more claws and other feral parts. He received a boost in speed too, it seems, since he's dodging the attacks perfectly, one at the time. Apparently getting this of all this, Ragna parried Hakumen's blade and, as Hakumen remained partially stunned, he tried slashing him...it with his hand, releasing some sort of...orbs...or some sort of red light, that headed towards Ragna.

"W-What is...?"

"**Life.**"

"Huh?"

"**Interesting. The effect grew when that aura started surrounding him... Rags has more tricks, it seems...**"

"What do you mean by life?"

"_It means that he's draining Hakumen's vitality just by striking him with that red aura, be it in the shape of claws, fangs or that head. What a fearsome ability._" Kraid said.

"...I guess I can understand that."

No. This isn't the time for exposition. I still need to reach the Cauldron.

"Argh!" Ragna grunted as Hakumen managed to strike one of his legs, barely. "Bastard! Take this!"

Ragna prepared a Carnage Scissors. I knew since he made the posture. However, Hakumen saw it too...

"Kokuujin..."

…! That's...

"RAGNA! STOP! HE'S GOING TO..."

Too late... The first hit of Ragna's attack was effortlessly blocked by the glyph, paralyzing Ragna.

"It's not over yet!"

What?

"Black Onslaught!" Ragna said as he hit the glyph once more.

What are you trying to accomplish? That thing is near unbreakable! I know for experience...and that was the normal version!

"Black Sabbath!"

While the glyph was still in place, Ragna extended Blood-Scythe and stroke the glyph with all of his strength. Few orbs started seeping out of the glyph, but Hakumen seemed unfazed.

"Is that all, Dark One?" Hakumen was...taunting him?

"Shut up!"

After the flurry of slashes that Ragna made with the scythe, he started charging...something. No, seriously, what the hell is that? The orbs went to the end of what apparently was his hand, gathering together into a big, red cluster of life force, I think.

"Hmph! Don't think I'm not stupid, Ragna the Bloodedge!" Hakumen shouted. "Akumetsu!"

...Another glyph appeared, but this one covered Hakumen completely. This will not end well...

"**No. Not yet.**"

Huh?

"**Look and stay quiet. You'll probably learn something out of this.**" Glid said. "**Besides, even if you want to try save his ass, your body will get in the way. So, shut the hell up!**"

…Grr...Can't still move right? Dammit!

"Destruction!" Ragna brought down the...thing.

The resulting impact sundered the battlefield. Shockwaves of energy started flowing of the clash between Ragna and Hakumen. I had to crouch in order not to get blown away by the energy. But still, I could see both of them, still not staggering due to the impact. However, the glyph barrier was still standing and Hakumen is about to draw...

"I'M NOT DONE!" What? Seriously, Ragna?

Ragna, ignoring any inertia or after-clash effect, in just a span of half a second, turned back Blood-Scythe into a sword and redid the Carnage Scissors. The glyph took the first blow normally...but a big crack emerged from the middle!

"What?"

"-Scissors!"

(SMASH!)

The crimson pairs of blood scissors, at last, shattered Hakumen's defenses, stunning him on the process.

"Impossible! This is not...!"

"Darkness consume you...!"

Taking advantage of Hakumen's surprise, Ragna turned his right arm into a massive -and really awesome looking- claw, then punched Hakumen in the gut. While he was staggering, he snatched him and lifted him over his head and then...dark tendrils started attacking Hakumen mercilessly, until Ragna let go, and a massive amount of orbs headed towards Ragna. The white body was sent flying towards a rock formation...but he...it was apparently unconscious.

...Thank Jesus that's over. Also, I really, really need to do that attack someday. It looks freaking awesome...and I don't say that often.

"**Ho-ley crap! Rags sure beat the crap outta him.**"

"Ragna!" I said running towards him. "You ok-

Ragna started panting as he crouched, trying to catch his breath. As cool as all of that was, the acts that Ragna did seemed incredibly energy consuming, so it is kind of justified he's tired.

"Yeah...I'm fine." Yeah, sure. Panting is an obvious sign of "fine". "Where's the idiot?"

"Hell if I know." I answered. "Last time I saw her, she was there, practically frozen in fear, for some reason."

"Tch...Hold it." Ragna cut me off. "The only exits out of this place are the entrance, which I doubt she took, and...there..."

Ragna looked obviously concerned for some reason.

...Then I connected two and two together and...

"The Cauldron's over there?" I said. "From the looks of it, something really dangerous is in there, huh?"

"This is no time for jokes, Raim." Ragna was still panting. "Listen, find that idiot and take her out of there."

Ragna's demeanor was...strange for him. The same happened in the restaurant, for reasons I don't know.

...Screw it. The curiosity is chewing me from the inside.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you act so worried? It's not like you know her. Besides, isn't she from the NOL, the organization that you **hate**?"

Ragna moved his gaze away.

"Look...just go, alright? After all this mess is over, maybe I'll tell you. Just...check on her. Please."

"**"Please?" Good lord, what happened to you?**"

…

...You know, I thought that Ragna was merciless against the NOL. However, even he has pity for the girl, perhaps due to her...well, clumsiness? I don't know. He's a nice guy after all.

And trust me, nice guys in the world are nearly extinct.

...And even though I still think there's something more that Ragna isn't telling me about Noel, my objective is to find that Cauldron and go back to Gensokyo.

Nothing else.

"...Alright. I'll find her for you and tell her to come back."

"**Oh great...**"

"Just stall her." he said. "I'll be up after I take a breather. Goddamn masked freak was a real pain in the ass to beat..."

*sigh*

...Okay. I feel better. Now...to find where the hell she went.

"**We already know that, dumbass!**"

Shut up!

* * *

*pant* *pant*

Okay...! Perhaps I'm not in a good shape as I thought...

"_Keep going! We're already there! I can a light...a figure walking over there!_"

Huh?

"Shit!" I tried to sprint. "Almost there...!"

After running for some more time, I managed to find Noel, who was looking around the area. Oh good, she didn't go that far.

"Hey, Noe-"

"**Hold it.**"

"Huh?" I said.

"**Hide first. Something's not right here!**"

Noel apparently heard me and was starting to turn around. I really don't want to listen to the bastard...but I really don't want to screw this up. I hid behind one of the azure pillars in this room.

"**Perhaps it is better for us to wait here. Something about this place is giving me the feeling that we are not alone.**" the bastard whispered.

...So you say you feel danger? Glid, it's just a room.

"**Just listen to me for once, goddammit...**" he whispered back. "**Don't come out yet. Let the girl be the bait.**"

…

...My priority is to go back.

Fine then.

The air around the area was...actually, quite light. I thought that the further we got, the harder it would be to breathe. But the seithr here is thicker than outside, **that **I can assure.

I wonder why do I feel better when there's more seithr around...but that's not important right now.

"_Are you sure this is the right thing to do?_" Kraid asked. "_We __**did**__ promise Ragna to bring her back._"

I know...but my priorities are above anyone else.

...My good god, I'm too selfish.

The more time it passed, the thicker the seithr got...and the better I felt. After some more seconds, I felt good as new. I guess that, to some people, seithr is some sort of placebo...or it is just me?

Anyways, I really got a good look at the area. It was wide, with walls dyed in a deep blue color. Noel stopped suddenly in the middle of the area. I hid behind one of the adjacent walls and peeked.

The inner chamber was more blue than before, but it seemed like half-ruins and half-lab. Don't ask me how.

"I...I've seen this...before..." Noel managed to say, but then remained quiet.

Really?

*rumble*

An earthquake? Shit, this is bad!

"_No. This is no earthquake! Look!_"

And then I was left speechless. I now know the reason why the earth is shaking. On the other side of the room, a giant...sword emerged from a chasm...no, it emerged from some sort of cocoon...

The sword had some sort of jewel near the enormous hilt. As weird as all of this is, I have to keep moving.

"**Wait! It's here...I knew something was not right in this goddamn place!**"

"What?"

I heard something shattering. I looked up while hiding again to see a female figure descend slowly towards the ground. Her really long silver hair was tied into a braid held together by...is that a blade? Whatever. She had red eyes and was wearing an eye-patch...which I think I've seen before.

But what's up with her clothes?

I mean...what is she wearing? Looks like a plug suit from Eva...only she was wearing a long flowing cape with red-colored seals on the ends. Hell, she's also expressionless for some reason.

...Wait...her face.

"**Oh crap. Now that's something you don't see every day.**"

...T-That's Noel's face. Definitely. If it wasn't for the eyepatch and the long silver hair, she would be an exact copy of Noel.

It's really creepy, I tell you.

From my hiding spot, I managed to see Noel's eyes. Aw crap, they're empty again.

"Target confirmation..."

...Eh?

"Target confirmation, target confirmation, target confirmation..."

What...the hell?

"**Shh. Look up.**"

I did. And, whether I want to believe it or not, I saw a massive blade fall from the already gigantic sword, landing right behind the other girl, raising a large amount of dust that almost got into my eyes...

"_Ngh..._"

I opened my eyes again.

...And I just got more confused.

Even if that blade fell, and I knew **where** exactly it fell, there was only one figure left. The strange girl was now wearing a weird armor, complete with a visor that had one red eye and sharp-looking blades hovering in her back. Just...what the hell happened? I can't understand any of this!

"Murakumo Unit, activate..." the girl said. "Identifying target...the target match has been confirmed..."

Oh Jesus Christ, is she a robot...no, an android?

...Okay, I know I've said this before a lot of times this day...but this place is freaking nuts!

"Who...are you?" the girl asked Noel.

"I...I...I..."

Why is she stammering?

"I am...dimensional boundary contact medium No. 12...Anti-Sankishin Core Unit."

...What.

"**Hah! I knew it! She's a goddamn robot!**" Glid shouted. "**I told you so!**"

"No, you didn't."

"**Well, I'm telling you now!**"

Actually...why didn't I noticed first? Back there with the idiot ninja and the red devil, Noel moved too fast and her shots were of inhuman precision... I really need to pay better attention to my surroundings. Also, the fact that they look the same and they're both robots...does this mean Noel was mass-produced? If so, for what? And what the hell is a Sankishin?

...No! Focus on going back! Everything else doesn't matter!

"Request explanation regarding circumstances and target..." Noel asked.

So apparently, even if they're both robots, they are not allies whatsoever. But then again...was the Noel we saw...a fake persona that this robot used?

Hell if I know, but that does make me uncomfortable.

"Existence description..."

She's telling her her name?

"Dimensional boundary contact prime force No. 13 Anti-Sankishin Core unit, Nu."

So her name's Nu? Weird name. But I really wish you could move your gaze towards your left a little, just enough for me to sneak past.

"The existence of the target is a violation. Immediate self-destruction is advised." Nu said monotonously.

"Advise has been declined." Noel answered.

Hmm...even though I wonder what does she mean by "violation" due to existing, I'm still figuring out where I should move next. The cocoon is still open... I just hope that it stays like this for a while longer.

"**...Hey, kid.**" the bastard said. "**I have a good idea.**"

Oh great.

"Any idea that you propose usually ends with me getting maimed, pierced by a weapon and/or crushed."

"**Oh come on... This one's different.**"

...Meh.

"**I propose you let those two kill each other. Besides, if they are the same serial of robot, odds ****are that they have the same strength, don't you think?**"

…

...That seemed logical.

"_I object!_" What, Kraid? "_We did promise Ragna that we would find the girl and lead her away from this place!_"

...Yes, I know. But the exit is just so, so close...!

"**The girl can screw herself! She caused us trouble! Why should we help her now?**"

"_Dear lord! Have you no compassion at all?_"

"**Is that a dessert? No, seriously. Is it?**"

Argh...Stop talking in my head!

"**Anyways, look at them. Guess we do not have to stop the other bitch after all.**"

What do you-?

"Begin termination."

Both figures moved incredibly fast as they finished saying that phrase at the same time. As Noel started shooting at Nu with both kind of bullets, Nu moved her arms in a way that...well, created swords out of nowhere, throwing them at Noel. The ensuing chaos started to grow. Not only was Nu as strong as Noel...but I get the feeling she's far stronger than that.

Huh. That was...unexpected.

Noel jumped and tried shooting Nu in the head. However, she brought the sword behind her back to the front, blocking every single shot, without even flinching. This forced Noel to change tactics, now focusing to outrun her view, trying to flank her instead.

"…" Nu just...focused something on the ground, forcing several magic swords emerge from the ground, forcing Noel to jump back. However, one of the swords opened a small, but deep wound in Noel's arm. She didn't seem to mind the injury...or perhaps she cannot feel if she's like that.

"**…! Move!**"

"Huh?"

Saying perhaps "Oh shit!" isn't enough to the storm of blades that started heading my way.

"Aw cr-!"


	10. To escape from the crazy place

"Argh!"

The rock was chipped down almost instantly. The sound of several swords and bullets filled the area, giving me a heavy feel of dread. I really don't like the thought of being pierced by a stray sword or by bullets. As much as I want to wish for a better situation...I can't.

"**Well, it really sucks to be you.**" the bastard said, just fueling my anger. "**Oh, watch out to your left!**"

Noted.

(BOOM!)

* * *

Episode 10: To escape from the crazy place...

* * *

"My good god! They're tearing this place apart!"

And apparently, they haven't noticed me yet! Are they so focused on killing each other?

But even as I was keeping my sorry ass alive, I managed to watch the fight a bit. Noel and Nu were attacking and evading like if it was a danmaku duel. I can barely see anything apart from blades and bullets, but those two can see each other perfectly, demonstrated by the fact that one of the swords managed to nick Noel's right side of the body, drawing a bit of blood.

Now, as far as I know, the normal Noel would've freaked out and/or fainted instantly which, even if it was unintentionally hilarious, it might prove...problematic at this point.

However, this robotic Noel practically ignored the wound. Hell, I think she didn't even notice! And in fact, the efficiency of her attacks didn't even falter. And she's very dangerous at close range too, I might add.

"_I still don't know how she can move like that. And...did she just spin to dodge and hit the other one on the back?_"

"Yep, she did alright..."

...Gah, what am I doing? I'm almost near the opening of the cocoon.

"**…! Dodge!**"

(BOOM!)

Where the hell did that rocket come...oh, right, I forgot about those transforming revolvers.

"_Swords coming from the right!_"

"Oh, come on!"

While still getting out of the vision range, I had to roll forward to evade the storm of blades that teared down the pillar I was hiding behind...and also the adjacent wall. Jesus...what are those blades made of?

"**...You want my guess?**"

"...Forget I asked."

The terrain started to get torn as the battle continued, as by each passing second, it got worse. Now, Noel started running over the walls, trying to land a hit. I gotta admit, Nu's swords are very sturdy to be used as defense, while also being as sharp as hell. I can notice...the marks they leave on any surface is proof enough for me.

Thankfully, I'm not going to fight her. Just a bit more closer...

"_Minigun!_" Kraid shouted as Noel's weapon started releasing a volley of shots, some of them hitting my right arm.

I forced my teeth together in order not to shout as I rolled out of the way. Still didn't notice me, but that was close.

"*pant* *pant* This will be a hard one."

Flanking them is impossible without getting spotted. And trying to sucker punch one of them to open a way sounds risky. The other one might attack me on the spot.

...Gah...Why the hell is this so hard?

Somehow, Nu was opening portals that started shooting a barrage of swords at a ridiculous speed. In response, Noel twirled her guns in order to deflect some of the blades...however, some of them managed to pass through her defenses, opening small wounds on her arms.

…

...I'm not worried about her, by the way.

"Tsk."

Their battle continued, this time Noel tried to limit her moments by shooting where Nu was about to move. A smart strategy...and also requires a lot of concentration and timing, things that Noel might have due to her...nature.

"**Does being a robot count as nature?**"

"No idea."

At first, it seemed that Noel's tactics were working, since Nu was forced to defend. And then...well...

Let's just say that Nu..."cheated".

Or to put it in a way, Nu created swords **behind** Noel, effectively taking her by surprise...or at least that's surprise on an emotionless face, I think.

"Analysis of target tactics...complete." Nu muttered. "Proceeding with termination protocol."

Nu then vanished out of my view, then appearing behind a still recovering Noel and grabbed her by her neck as the swords in her back positioned themselves...in a really dangerous manner around Noel.

…

...She'll be fine. It's not my problem.

Noel, quickly noticing the danger, used her legs to free herself. Then, she jumped high in the air and shoot several bullets at Nu, staggering her. However, she turned Bolverk into a rocket launcher and fired a rocket at her, with predictable results.

"**What the hell are you doing?**"

"Huh?"

"**Both of them are away of the cocoon now! Get your ass over there!**"

Shit, I forgot!

I ignored them now and proceeded to run towards the cocoon. There was some sort of light coming from its depths... Am I supposed to just...jump there? I don't know, somehow...that light doesn't seem reassuring to me.

...But then again, nothing has being reassuring around here...*sigh*

"Well...so much for doubting. Here w-"

I didn't turn around but I could still hear a body being flailed around with ease. Since there was no metal involved...then I'm pretty sure it was Noel who was being flailed...

"**What are you waiting for? Just jump, dammit!**"

…

"Continue assault on the target..."

Noel...what are you doing? Move...just like you were doing before...

"_What are you doing? Go help her!_"

"**Hell no! Can't you see this is our chance to get out of this goddamn place? Sure, I do not mind staying here and kill everyone...but just to save her sorry ass? No way. Nope. **_**Nunca!**_"

Shit! Everyone, stop talking!

"Reestablishing connection..." Nu said monotonously, as a giant sword formed over Noel.

"_Kid, don't you dare leave her like this..._"

"**Leave her already! She didn't help at all and tried to kill you! That's reason enough for me to leave her to die!**"

...Argh...

"_You promised Ragna._"

"**Who cares? The only thing that matters is you, right kid?**"

"_You're better than this!_"

"**Screw them all! Just jump!**"

"_You don't even know if that's a safe way!_"

"**Try it anyways!**"

"_You do realize the kid might die if that hole leads to nowhere, leaving you without a body?_"

"**You do realize that... … ...shut the hell up!**"

ENOUGH!

"Die."

...*sigh* I know I'm going to hate myself for this...

(PARRY!)

* * *

Third's PoV

Noel waited for the final blow. Even if she didn't want to die, she knew it was hopeless at this point. However, it never came at all.

Confused, she opened her eyes...

There were **two** figures in front of her. Both of their clothes torn and covered in blood, the shorter one's apparently being dyed by the red color, changing the natural blue to a dark shade of red. Still in a daze, she looked at the tall figure. His back is to her, so she cannot see his face... But something about him seemed...oddly nostalgic. No. It was some more...familiar.

But why? She couldn't understand. Nor she couldn't understand why was she crying at that point.

"Ah, aah..." Noel remained there, tears falling down through her cheeks.

The shorter figure seemed both surprised for Ragna's sudden appearance, relieved that Noel was okay...and annoyed because of someone's ranting...

"**SEE? IT WASN'T NECESSARY TO PUT YOUR ASS IN STAKE! GOOD GOD, I FEEL SO GODDAMN...!**"

"Shut up, you." Raim sighed. "Focus on the other bitch."

"...**Tch.**"

Ragna ignored them and looked back at Noel. He too, was somewhat relieved to see she was safe...but the fact that she had her sister's face was still creeping him out, but he shook the thought out.

There were worse things to worry about. But first, she had to warn her.

"It took long to take care of that bastard." Ragna said, now facing Noel. "Hey, you! Stay where you are if you appreciate your life!"

Noel didn't answer. She was still in a daze. And, between you and me, it's understandable.

"Good to see you, Ragna." Raim said, trying to ease the atmosphere...and his own stupidity. "What took you so long?"

"Well, that damn bastard's weapon didn't let me heal properly. I really took my time recovering from that. But running here after that was no problem."

"**If you had arrived earlier, then...**"

"What?"

"Eh, nothing important." Raim lied. "Now, mind help me getting rid of this bitch so I can go back?"

"Well...my original plan **is** to get rid of this bitch..."

The two red clad partners faced a still recovering Nu. However, to Raim's surprise, Nu's expression turned from her usual empty...to eerily cheerful.

"Ragna~!" Nu said, smiling wide. "Long time no see! *gasp* Have you finally accepted my feelings?"

This really freaked Raim out, since he got used to the usual emotionless face she had.

"Holy crap, what the hell happened to you?"

"Tch. Guess I arrived to late to this goddamn place." Ragna said, brandishing Blood-Scythe. "Well, let's get this over with."

"*giggle* But Ragna, haven't you come to play?" Nu said, clasping her hands together. Raim didn't know how to feel about all of this situation.

"…"

"Ragna, just who's this chick?" Raim asked, incredibly uncomfortable with the situation.

"And who are you?" Nu said, her tone turning low and menacingly. Raim noticed the sudden killing intent, and added the fact that she wasn't at all pleased by his presence.

"**Do you care, bitch?**" Glid said. "**Why don't you play death for a while? Or hey, even a better idea! Why don't you take those swords and shove it up your ass?**"

...Disgusting.

"...Seriously? You sound exactly like an immature kid, you bastard." Raim facepalmed.

"**Whatever. Hey Rags, let's just kill the bitch already.**"

"For once, I agree with the voice in your head, Raim." Ragna said, scowling at Nu, ready for battle.

"But Ragna, why so serious towards Nu?" Nu referred to herself. "Nu only wants to be one with you."

And that's when Raim's mind screeched in halt.

"...What."

"Shut up." Ragna snarled.

"Oh. But don't worry, I'm ready this time. See, I have a new body now!"

"_...What._" Raim, stop it.

"Raim, this isn't what it looks like..."

"But try to be gentle. It really hurt last time, you slashed me...you pierced me all over...over and over again..." Nu said, while putting her arms around her stomach...

"**WHAT? !**"

"SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!"

"Why are you so angry, Ragna?" Nu smiled, perhaps too widely. "Nu only wants the best for you."

"Shut up." Ragna repeated, only that his tone started getting angrier and angrier.

"Ragna...are you sure you..."

"If you imply I'm a pedophile, I swear to God that-"

"Forget that I even asked."

"**But hey. I could have sworn that you both had a S&M relationship.**"

...Ew.

"Raim, is there a way to kill that guy in your head without decapitating you?" Ragna said in a very dark tone.

"...For now, I don't think there is..."

"Leave." Nu said, referring to Raim. "Nu has waiting for this moment. To become one with Ragna, after so long! You have no place here."

"Sorry...Nu Gundam-tan." Raim said, trying to say a joke only to calm himself. "But I must enter that cauldron behind you. As much as you want to get into Ragna's pants-"

"HEY!"

"-I also wish to go back to my world too. So move aside...or, more conveniently, kill yourself. You'll save us a lot of trouble."

"**And perhaps, save your virginity. But, as it seems, you really want to lose it. *sigh* Sexual impulses...they disgust me.**"

One of the swords from Nu's back darted forward, aiming to shatter Raim's skull in half. Thankfully, he dodged in time.

"Remember what I said about controlling what you said?"

"**You said that?**"

"...I hate you."

"This is no time for fooling around, Raim!" Ragna reprimanded him. "Don't you dare to take this mess lightly...or you'll regret it."

As soon as Ragna finished saying that, a sword emerged below Ragna, threatening to pierce him through the lungs and come out near the back of his neck. It would've been gruesome if Ragna didn't move to the right out of instinct.

"Aww... And it was so close too."

"You bitch!"

"Well, somebody is in a bad mood today. Is it because we didn't talk last time? And the time before?"

"I told you to shut up."

"Aww, Ragna." Nu seemed disappointed. "You're not happy?"

"I said shut up!" Ragna was practically shouting now. "That face! That voice! Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

Ragna was riled up, almost as if reliving a bad memory. Raim noticed this, but knew that asking anything at this point of time might leave him with no head.

"I'm here to destroy you! That's all there is to it. There's nothing we need to talk about!"

As soon as he finished saying that, he had a strange feeling of déjà vu, for reasons he still didn't know.

"_Again... Dammit, again. What the hell is going on?_" Ragna thought.

"...Why?" Nu stepped back. "Why are you so mad?"

"**Who knows?**" Glid stated, getting impatient. "**Come on, what's taking so long? I feel like if we're fighting with words! And that's just pretty sad!**"

Ragna just ignored everything altogether and drew Blood-Scythe.

"...Hmm. So I can't change your mind, huh?"

"It's too late for me to ask your forgiveness. You can hate me. Resist to your heart's content-"

"**Uh, no. First, she's a robot. She has no heart.**"

"Not quite...I think that genuine flesh." Raim said.

"...**Okay, fine. An android, whatever the hell you think. Second...Rags. Honestly. You sound like you're going to rape her.**"

Raim facepalmed as Ragna had the urge to kill Raim first now and Nu...blushed? Ew, considering the context of all of this...I'm pretty much squicked about all of this.

"-You know what? Screw everything! I still have to destroy you!"

"I see... Then, how would you like it? Gentle? Or a bit more rough, perhaps..."

"**ENOUGH WITH THE INNUEN-!**"

Glid was conveniently silenced when several blades pinned Raim, two on each arm and one on each leg. And, for his bad luck, one in the chest too.

"ARGH!"

"Now that the annoyance is gone... Shall we play, Ragna?"

Ragna had no words to share, only caring about killing...no, destroying her. He jumped towards her with a Gauntlet Hades ready. However, Nu was faster than Ragna and she quickly was behind him.

Ignore the innuendo.

She created swords and aimed towards Ragna's legs and chest. Ragna slashed one and crushed the remaining one with his right hand. Badass.

I forgot to remind people that Ragna was still with the Azure Grimoire activated, so his attacks were stronger. However, this makes me wonder why didn't Raim collapse just by been near Ragna, since the Azure, while active, actually _sucks your soul._

Is it Kraid again? Can create negate the Azure side effects too?

"Ugh..." And look who decided to wake up. "Oh great. I seriously hope I have enough blood to move."

"**Well, if you have energy to snark, then I guess you're fine.**"

Raim tried freeing his left arm, tearing some of his flesh on the process. To his fortune, the blade came out quite easily. Next, he removed the one in his chest, then the legs as he fell down of the wall that he was pinned down.

However, he knew that he couldn't stand another surprise attack like that. Sure, his vision and sense of pain were fading, but he knew too well that if he kept losing blood, his brain and other important organs will shut down.

"Perfect. Ngh... and I was just fine a while ago."

"**Alright, enough! Let's rip this bitch a new one!**"

"_Hold on! In this state? Are you crazy?_"

"**You really didn't ask that question, did ya?**"

Raim ignored their bantering as he focused on Ragna and Nu. Both were moving at insane speeds, Ragna blocking and shattering every blade Nu threw at her, and the latter speeding towards Ragna, trying to pierce him with her "sword wings", using her sword portals to distract Ragna enough to be close to him.

"Dead Spike!"

The dark attack came out fast, but Nu was nimble, and crazy, enough to jump over it. She then aimed her swords to pierce Ragna through the head, while smiling quite wide. Ragna's hand turned into a claw and swatted the swords, some of them shattered on contact. He tried using an Inferno Divider, reaching high and managed to harm Nu, albeit slightly. He followed up with an axe kick, but Nu blocked with her swords and grabbed him by the neck.

"S-Shit!"

Nu tried slamming him to the ground...but...

(PUNCH!)

...Then again, we forgot about Raim.

"Tch! I told you to stay away from this!"

"You never said that." Raim pointed out.

"I...No, no I didn't, did I?" Ragna said. "Fine. Fight, do whatever you want. Just don't get in my way."

"Hey. I just saved your ass."

"Well then...thanks."

Nu threw several swords at Raim, in the same quantity as before.

"Oh, don't you think the same crap with work twice on _me_!" Raim shouted as he dodged the attack, grabbed one of the blades and threw it back at Nu, who slashed it before it managed to get close enough.

"**Tch. She has too much range with those swords. Not only that, how many portals can she open at once? Goddammit, this is too frustrating!**"

Tell me about it.

"Ragna...why do you resist? Can you see I want the best for both of us?" Nu asked.

"Shut up! Nobody's going to decide my fate! I control what I do!" Ragna shouted.

Nu lunged Raim at high speeds and tried slashing his stomach open. However, Raim headbutted Nu with enough strength to stun her and Ragna stroke her in the back with a Hell's Fang, sending her flying towards one of the wall, raising a cloud of dust. This doesn't mean the headbutt was painless, since Raim's forehead started bleeding due to hitting Nu in the head. Justified since she was using that weird headgear of hers.

"Okay...headbutting is out of question."

From the dust of cloud, a storm of blades emerged. The blades were heading towards both Raim and Ragna, but since they saw the attack first, they dodged.

...And apparently, that's what Nu wanted, since two swords emerged out of nowhere behind both of them at the start of their jump.

After all, humans cannot dodge well in mid-air.

"**...Oh shit!**"

(STAB!)

OH GOD! That looks awful! Swords shouldn't be able to penetrate the body that easily!

"Argh!" Ragna fell to the ground as a blade passed through his stomach. "S-Shit! You...bitch!"

Raim also fell to the ground, but due to his thin build, the blade missed his stomach. Nope, it hit his left arm and emerged through his shoulder.

He's going to feel that tomorrow.

"Nice. My left arm is useless now."

"**You actually taking this quite normally. I'm surprised.**"

"It's not that. I'm just trying to snark away the pain. And I'm failing..."

Ragna took care of the blade that impaled him by taking it out quite gruesomely. Apparently, he doesn't know the meaning of "being delicate".

Nu flew towards Ragna, noticing that Raim was effectively disarmed, smiling while swords emerged from the ground like spikes, preventing Ragna's movements.

Ragna tried dodging, but every time he did, Nu appeared behind him at shoot swords at him, forcing him to parry them with Blood-Scythe. However, Nu _always_ used that frame of time to move an arc of blades into a slash, hitting Ragna directly in his torso. Thankfully, the effects of the Azure were still active...but Ragna was sent flying towards the wall, shattering its foundations.

"Tch. It isn't over yet!"

Ragna stomped the ground and dashed towards Nu, having no strategy whatsoever. Just the words "cut her down" were passing through his brain. Perhaps Rachel was right. He doesn't think things through...

"*giggle* You're very energetic today! Don't worry...Nu can go all out all day long!"

...Ugh...

Somehow, a rock flew towards the back of Nu's head, shattering in pieces. That headgear...what the hell is it made from?

"…" Nu looked at Raim, whose face practically said-

"Well, that didn't work." he said while stepping back, his arm apparently better now.

"**A rock can't kill shit...except if you're an insect, but that's not the point here.**"

"...Annoying." Nu muttered, three portals behind her.

"Do you see a bigger rock around here?"

"**Well...you could throw Ragna at her.**"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Raim sighed.

"I told you to leave." Nu was getting impatient.

"**Shut up. The men are talking.**"

"...Leave..." Nu prepared her swords.

"Oh. Well, I could do that. _Or_ I could invite you to look behind you..."

(STAB!)

"Sorry. Too late."

Ragna's Blood-Scythe attacked Nu from behind while these two assholes were ranting. It actually was quite effective since Nu did not notice Ragna at all when focused on Raim.

It's the same thing that happened with Rachel. Raim can be so annoying with pointless conversations that it makes you ignore everything else.

Nu staggered, drops of blood falling from her back and Raim took that time to punch her in the head and pushed her back towards Ragna, who did an uppercut, flinging her to the air. Both of them jumped, with their own swords in hand and slashed her.

Ah...I see. Raim played the decoy, being the weakest in the fight. But to Ragna to understand _and_ execute the plan without a word said...that's kind of impressive from both of their parts.

Of course, it would've all gone to hell if Nu just turned back. Well, high risks means high reward, I guess.

A dull thud echoed in the room as Nu crashed into the ground.

"...Is it over?" Raim asked.

"**Idiot! You never ask that! Just keep pummeling the bitch before sh-**"

Nu quietly stood up, almost unfazed by the attacks.

"...Restoration...complete."

"**Well, screw this s-**"

Glid stopped saying anything as Nu barely missed chopping Raim's right arm with the blade on the top of her arm. Ragna started dashing towards her, using the same tactics as before, but...

"Wait! Ragna, stop!"

"What now? Can't you see that-"

"Yes, I can. And you are doing the same!" Raim shouted while both of them dodged another barrage of swords.

"So what?"

"So wha-? Look, Ragna, I really want to kill this bitch as much as you, but just going berserk on her won't solve anything."

They started running to the other side of the room as sword emerged from the ground at high speeds. The spikes weren't stopping and Nu started following them too.

"...Goddammit! So...what do you have in mind?"

* * *

Nu followed them closely and tried separating Ragna from Raim by summoning swords around them. However, they got used to that and started dodging and parrying masterfully, Raim with more ease since he was more light weighted. The two jumped over some rocks and debris, with Nu just meters away.

"Alright. You ready?"

"If this fails, I'm going to kill you."

"No. If this fails, _we_ are going to die."

Ragna smiled, knowing that he just said something stupid. With a yell, he stabbed a darkness engulfed Blood-Scythe into the debris with such strength that a massive cloud of dust formed. Nu quickly stopped in mid-air, her body swallowed by the cloud.

So Raim's plan was this? To hide and strike? But if this smoke cloud is up, how in hell can they track her?

...And I quickly shut up when Nu was slashed from behind with ease. She turned around and opened several portals with blades...but then she was slashed again in the back with a blade of bigger size. And I guess why is this happening...

That red eye that Nu has. The one that makes her looks like a cyclops? Well...it constantly shines red, even through the cloud.

I said enough.

"...Ragna, why do you hide from me?"

She then was sending flying forward by someone tackling her and was slammed to a wall by some sort of...head. No, it looked as if the head wanted to bite half of her body off!

In this kind of situations, a normal person usually panics. But this being Nu, she just kept standing up, even after attack after attack. Hate to admit it...but you gotta admire her determination...even if she's completely crazy about Ragna in a bad way.

(SLASH!)

Aaand another slash to add to the pile. Nu crashed into the ground, but not so much after, she stood up once again and extend the blades in her back.

"Changing attacks patterns due to target unpredicted tactics..."

Nu then spun the blades behind her like a fan, clearing up the cloud and revealing both of them. Ragna was already running at her and Raim was shouting at him to stop since it was useless in this condition.

Naturally, Nu smiled.

"So there were you, Ragna!" she said, opening her arms as swords disabled Ragna's legs.

Ragna grunted in pain, but still tried running forward. The result? More swords in his legs and stomach! Geez, he's almost like a pin cushion now...

(THUD!)

"AARGH!"

"**And officially, this has gone to hell. It was nice while it lasted, but, as always, life decides to give you a "screw you" and this kind of shit happens.**"

"...You done?" Raim asked, annoyed by how disinterested Glid sounded.

"**Frankly...yes.**"

"Stop spouting nonsense like that and get your ass over here!" Ragna shouted as Nu punctured another sword in Ragna's chest. This time, a drop of blood flew from Ragna's body to Nu's cheek.

"...It's warm. Ragna's blood is warm. Perhaps, have you warmed up for Nu?"

"I dunno. Try licking it." Raim, what the hell?

Oddly enough, Nu did...making this scene even more creepy, considering the subtext and _their_ indirect relationship. I mean...urgh...

"Mm..." Nu closed her eyes. "I tastes g-"

Raim sucker-punched her in that moment...Wait, did he actually plan this when he saw the blood drop fly to Nu's face? My god, he even takes advantages of other people's fetishes! Really, this guy will take any opportunity that arises.

"**What a low blow. Nice, kid!**"

"Alright. We know this bitch is resilient as hell." Raim said, stomping Nu's body, trying not to give her any time to recover. "Mind giving me some juice or something, bastard?" Raim asked.

"**...Think it'll work? The last time you tried to use those shitty cards, they failed mi-**"

"I know! Just do it anyways!"

Raim's body started to get engulfed in darkness, started from the left arm... However, everything snapped back and the darkness retreated.

"**OH COME ON!**"

Nu took this opportunity to summon a blade to stab Raim's legs, freeing her. She then tried a Legacy Edge, attempting to split Raim in two...and I mean literally.

He sidestepped, knowing too well how much those hurt. Since Nu was still recovering from using that, he kicked her in the stomach and tried slashing her as a bonus. Both proved to be ineffective as she stood up every time.

"Restoration...c-"

(PUNCH!)

"Come on! Just die already!" Raim still refused to believe she wasn't going to die any sooner.

Raim kept punching her with all the energy he could muster...until Nu catched one of his arms...and started to squeeze.

"...I told you to leave. Leave me and Ragna alone."

"It's actually said "Leave Ragna and me". Who taught you to speak, anyways?"

She squeezed harder while additionally surrounding Raim with swords.

"...Okay, my bad." Raim sweat-dropped. "Hey, are we forgetting something?"

Nu paused, noticing Raim's smug smile and turn around, but it was too late. Ragna uppercutted her with the red claw he now had as an arm, sending her flying back towards the room where the fight started.

"*pant* Why won't she die?" Ragna was getting frustrated, ignoring the large wound in his chest.

"Beats me." Raim said, standing up. "Could she be regenerating on the spot...or is she immortal?"

"That's impossible."

"On the contrary, I've seen two people like that. Don't ask, by the way. This is not the time."

"Now that I remember...that girl, she's still in there!" Ragna, realizing this, run towards the room.

Raim tried to stop him before he did something rash, but was out of sight.

"Shit! I know this will end badly..."

* * *

"See? I knew it!"

When Raim arrived to the room, Ragna was being impaled and raised from the ground by Nu, who also stabbed herself, becoming literally one with Ragna, ignoring the subtext. And Noel, despite all the carnage, was still in a comatose state.

"**Geez. She flip flops between being useless and being a pile of crap.**"

Raim ignored Glid and jumped towards the two of them. Nu swatted him away with a massive sword, slamming him towards a wall.

He stood up once again. At this point, he was more worried about Ragna's than just jumping inside the Cauldron. After all, he has saved his ass too many times in this place. He felt...in debt, one might say.

"Hang on!" Raim shouted, bringing down Kraid towards Nu. However, using only her free hand, grabbed it without effort.

"Wha-?"

(STAB!)

"A...Agh..." Raim's body collapsed into the ground.

"Now that the annoyance has left this world, why don't we become one, Ragna?" Nu smiled towards the bleeding face of Ragna.

"B-Bitch...ugh..." Ragna said.

"Aw, that's not good, Ragna. You should say "Yes, Nu. We must become one. We cannot live without each other!""

"Shut up! Don't you understand...I have...to destroy you?"

Nu ignored him as she drew closer to the Cauldron. Ragna could feel the heat coming from it and started getting nervous.

"Aw crap..." Ragna said.

"Now...we will become o-"

Nu stopped as a sharp pain came from her hair. When she turned around, she saw Raim, clutching the tip of her braided hair with all of his strength...even if it was literally grabbing a sharp sword.

"...Target...not dead?"

"Where the hell do you think you're going, bitch?" Raim panted, a pool of blood beneath him.

"**Hell yeah, we're still alive and well, you tin can! ...Alive, yes. Being well...err...**"

"Enough...you...bastard..." Raim said.

Nu froze on her tracks. Her analysis determined he was a normal human being. But the massive blood loss, wounds and broken bones she inflicted on him contradicted her judgment.

She paused and analyzed him again...only to be sure. She couldn't afford losing Ragna.

"...Scanning target..."

Raim crawled while hanging on her hair. She countered by pinning swords on his legs...which he removed his other hand.

"…Blood levels on target...normal? Brain functions...erratic? Heart..."

That when she stopped.

"...What...?"

(PUNCH!)

She staggered back as Raim punched her in the face, shattering the headgear. However, she did not let go of Ragna yet.

"**Yadda yadda yadda... Good grief, you don't stop spouting nonsense, do you?**"

However, Raim noticed his mistake. That punch was the one that managed to tip Nu's balance towards the Cauldron.

"Aw crap!" Raim and Ragna said in synchrony.

Nu started giggling while looking at Ragna, and Raim, without thinking, jumped to reach Ragna before anything got worse.

However, luck smiled on him. Noel had just snapped out of her trance and reached her hand faster than Raim...while the latter started falling.

Woe on you, boy.

"Take my hand! Hurry!" Noel shouted, as Ragna reached Noel's hand. Raim, noticing this might save him too, clung onto Ragna's leg.

...However, this also allowed Nu's to hold on by holding Raim's leg too.

"OH COME ON! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE?" Raim shouted in both frustration and fear as he tried to shake off Nu, but she stabbed a sword that went through Nu's hand and Raim's femur and leg muscles. Raim gritted his teeth, in order to drive away the pain.

"**Hold on, kid! Wasn't the exit down there?**"

"...According to that bitch. But know that I see it, I'm not sure!"

"I won't let you..."

"**Come again?**"

"I won't let you take Ragna away from me!" Nu shouted, as swords formed over Noel's head.

The world froze to Raim as his panic went though the roof. Noel also noticed the danger that she was in and closed her eyes. Ragna, however, didn't give up yet. Mustering all of his remaining energy, he unleashed a torrent of black flames that looked akin to a feral head, shattering the blades.

However, the wheel of fate continued to turn in a negative way. The shock collapsed the ground in which Noel was clinging too, making her fall too.

"AAAAHHHH!" the group (sans Nu) shouted, knowing too well that this wasn't going to end well.

"Warning. High concentrations of seithr focused on subject. Danger. Danger."

Wait, what?

"Huh? What are you-?"

Raim felt headsick in that moment as his chest started to burn. Soon, he lost consciousness as visible seithr started emanating from his pores.

"**Kid? Kid! Hey, wake up! If not, we're going to become chunky salsa down there! Screw that exit! That bitch lied to us!**"

No response from Raim, as everyone else continued falling...and Nu stabbed herself with Ragna, again...

"**Sweet crap of Jesus! WAKE UP!**"

Then...something horrible happened.

How to explain it? Um...

Is it normal for mouths to form in your arms and _extend themselves over six feet?_

"AAAGGGHHHH!" Raim roared, but his voice sounded distorted and...deep.

The now berserked Raim jumped from the fiery wall, reaching Ragna, separating Ragna from Nu by cutting the blade in half with just _his arm._ He kicked Nu towards the walls of the cauldron and then threw Ragna and Noel over the cauldron with such strength that it looked that they were launched from a cannon itself. Both of them could not comprehend what was just happening, but Ragna managed to catch a glimpse of Raim while flying upwards.

"What the...? Has Raim succumbed to seithr corruption?" Ragna said.

Raim's body was having spasms several times, his left arm more than the rest. A second arm...sprouted from the middle of the arm, growing far larger than the rest of his arms.

...This...this is not supposed to happen. What is going on?

"**Okay, that's sickening. Hey, old man, mind explaining what's happening?**"

"_I-I don't know! The kid's not responding!_" Kraid said in panic. "_And what is this air?_"

"**Seithr...I suppose. But at least, the peanut gallery's gone and the kid seemed to have gained some terrifying power, it seems. I like it!**"

"_But what if he doesn't return to normal?_"

While the two were having a discussion, Nu summoned her swords trying to impale Raim. They did hit and pinned Raim to the burning walls. However, using the extra arm and some sort of dark red mist, he removed all of them...no, perhaps the term "shatter" is better fit to describe this.

"**Meh, at least it's fun. Come on, am I the only one that is enjoying this change of events?**"

Raim jumped towards Nu, who opened _seven_ portals with ease, perhaps due to the massive amounts of seithr in here. As the flurry of swords rushed towards Raim, he used his...dual arm to swat the majority away. Two swords managed to pass through his defense...only to be caught by his teeth instead.

...But why? Why did he mutate like this? This is _not_ supposed to happen! No, correction. This just _cannot_ happen!

"RRRAAAAAGGHHH!"

"Target seithr levels...rising. 150%...200%...350%..."

WHAT?

"...Checking internal mainframe for bugs. Current phenomenon classified as improbable..."

See? Even Nu agrees!

Raim charged Nu, the extra mass of his...current body making it easier for him to deal damage. He grabbed her by the head and _slammed her_ towards the fiery wall. Fortunately, she avoid immolation by protecting her face with a sword shield. Then she materialized more swords behind Raim and stabbed him towards the wall. Raim might've gained strength, but at the cost of being more reckless than ever.

"Detected increase in bloodlust on target."

"**Gee, ya think?**"

"...Unknown voice detected. Cannot determine origin."

"**Yeah, sure, like that's important for you now.**" Glid said.

* * *

Nu noticed that Raim was already charging towards her and dodged easily. What she didn't saw was some sort of red and blank tendril grab her from her legs and slam her towards the wall. The knockback sent her flying directly towards Raim's fist.

However, Nu took that opportunity to grab Raim and lock him inside some kind of rune field as she started chanting something...

"O silver blade forged in the depths of the beyond," The sword of her back went into a glyph over her. "heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way."

A massive sword, the largest that both Glid and Kraid have seen, materialed above Raim, which was roaring and struggling to break free.

"**Oh...that's...that's not good."  
**

"Lay waste."

The sword descended, as if it was a harbringer of death itself.

(CHOMP!)

...Which Raim caught with his teeth...wait, WHAT THE HELL? !

"...Impossible event has occurred. Impossible event has occurred."

Raim's jaws managed to crack the tip of the sword just a bit. Not soon after, black tendrils of either seithr or something else started pummeling the blade, lowering the speed of descend. Nu tried incapacitating him by summoning more swords around him. Not only this backfired, but made Raim angrier, destroying the tip of the blade completely, _negating the astral!_

"RAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Raim broke the rest of the sword of destruction by smashing it with a seithr infused Kraid. The shards turned back into blades, hovering back to Nu's back. However, there were signs of damage.

"Target's body mass...irregular. Unable to develop tactics. Executing combat protocol number-"

She couldn't finish as Raim grabbed her head. The next thing Nu knew, her body was being flailed around like a rag-doll, against the walls and without mercy. She managed to take a glimpe into his eyes. The dead-fish, black eyes were now colored in a fiery crimson, turning his features...

...more like a demon.

"Analyzing...analyzing...(SLAM!) Cannot identify weakness. Changing tactics towards close-quarters combat."

Nu used the swords in her back to break free from Raim's grip and hovered towards him, ramming him into a wall in the process. He roared as the walls burned his back, which was constantly regenerating. Nu didn't waste any time and tried stabbing him in the head, assuming that this would kill him. Raim, even in his frenzied state, noticed the danger and moved his head to the other side, evading the attack. He then bit the sword and shattered it while pushing Nu back.

The seithr around Raim was more like a cloud of mist around him. Nu looked again at him and noticed he was drawing more seithr into his body, in quantities that were obviously beyond limits of a normal human being. Right after that, Raim...released a stream of red miasma from his hands, somehow akin to a web of tentacles or even worse, towards Nu. I cannot describe this...

Trying to defend herself, Nu summoned swords in front of her to act as a shield. It didn't work, as the...thing pierced the swords and engulfed Nu. Raim was smiling very creepy while this happened.

"**...Kid, you're actually becoming scary. *sniff* I'm so proud of you."**

"_This is horrible!"_

"**Meh. Everyone has their tastes."**

Raim pulled, dragging Nu towards him as Raim engulfed Kraid with seithr, turning it red in the process and making it release steam for some reason.

(STAB!) (STAB!)

...But he didn't notice the swords that pierced a certain region of his stomach, making him freeze instantly. This also freed Nu, albeit she was tried too.

"**Oh come on! It was getting fun."**

"Unknown life form...detected. Life form temporarily disabled. Require more data."

**"Unknown lifeform? What the hell are you talking about?"**

"Target status and vitals returning to normal. Proceeding with the termination."**  
**

(SLASH!)

(SPLATTER!)

* * *

"*sigh* I still can't believe she cried herself to sleep." Ragna said, the figure of Noel resting in his chest. "But no doubt about it, the resemblence is uncanny... However..."

Ragna quietly stood up, letting Noel rest on the ground. He silently moved towards the edge of the Cauldron, trying to see the bottom. He frowned when he realized that he couldn't.

"...Dammit, Raim. Why the hell did you jump in that moment too...? Still it surprises me how can she sleep so well after all of this mess." Ragna paused. "Damn, what am I supposed to do know?"

In that moment, a wind rose up with the scent of roses. Rachel appeared in front of him, sighing.

"You're always asleep when we meet." She referred to Noel. "Rather rude if you ask me."

"Hey rabbit, who's this?" Ragna asked.

* * *

"So this power is just an imitation, huh?" Ragna said, looking at his arm once more. "And what do you mean that the world will change? Argh! This doesn't make any sense, rabbit! Would you at least explain to me what is going on around here? !"

Rachel vanished without saying anything while looking upwards.

"H-Hey! Wait a minute!"

And just after that, a gap opened in front of him, Yukari coming out of it...and what with the burn marks on your sleeves.

"Oh great. Just what I needed. You again..."

"My thoughts exactly." Yukari said. "And it seems he isn't here yet."

"...If you're looking for the kid, then I have b-"

A cellphone rang in that moment, cutting off Ragna.

"The hell was that? !" Ragna, completely alien to the concept of cellphones, asked.

Yukari ignored him and answered.

"Ran? It's me."

"_Oh? Do I sound like your shikigami to you, dear?" _A suave voice I know too well came from the phone.

Louis.

"You! How did you...?"

"_Got this number? Let's leave that question unanswered just as homework for you, okay?" _Louis said. "_Now, back to the subject at hand... You do know that your pawns are stuck in a stalemate at the top of the tree, right?"_

"..."

_"Seems you know." _Louis was apparently smiling. _"If my information is right, you should be able to feel the massive amount of energy over that town. Better move now, it'll be your only chance."_

"...You mean that up there is the "ace on the hole" you kept blaberring about?"

_"Could be." _Louis was apparently enjoying himself. _"Why you ask me? I'm not there, you know."_

"Who are you talking to? !" Ragna asked, with good reasons.

I mean, how would you react if a woman appeared out of a hole in the middle of the room after you barely survived a fight with a psycho staker pseudo robot girl?

Needless to say, Yukari made a motion with her hand, right over Ragna's throat. The next thing Ragna knew is that he became mute.

"...!" Ragna tried shouting, but it was useless.

"Feigning ignorance?" Yukari said in her sly tone, trying not to get annoyed by Louis' voice. "Are you telling me you don't know what is going on, even if you know my current situation? That's just not logical."

_"So true. I was just messing with you. It's fun."_

Yukari sighed. _  
_

"...Still..."

She entered into one of her gaps, leaving Ragna behind...

* * *

...and came out over the skies of Kagutsuchi_, _just behind an amused Rachel.

"Oh, it's you." Rachel looked bored, but then quickly turned back her gaze to the sky.

"Princess! It's that weird woman, again!" Nago and Gii said in synchrony.

"Of course. I'm not blind, you know." Rachel was not amused by their chatter. "Now... will you leave? I'm quite busy right now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, dear." Yukari said smiled. "Now...is it here?"

_"Again, why are you asking me? It's not like I have eyes over there, you know."_

"You know too much to be a human, so you must be a demon or something worse. I simply cannot trust you blindly."

_"And yet, you believed in me when I gave you advice. That's called hypocrisy, you know?"_

"...Goodbye."

She hanged up in frustration, to the confusion of Rachel and her servants. But at this point, she didn't care. She knew that Take-Mikazuchi was about to fire, as it always did before.

"Sorry about that. Wrong number."

"I do not care. Do me a favor and just go away. I need to focus on something." Rachel then faced her familiars. "Nago. Gii. A moment please."

"Princess? What are you going to do?"

"Quickly!"

The familiars yelped as they vanished, leaving Rachel alone.

"What is up there anyways?"

"You're still here?" Rachel sighed. "I do not get your motives to come here, but it would be wise to leave."

"Riiiiight..." Yukari rolled her eyes. "And I don't have time to explain either. So do whatever you need to do. I won't bother. I'm just...waiting for something, if what he said was true.

Rachel turned her back on Yukari as she started chanting something...

"Nulliplex restriction mechanism release, dimensional interruption imaginary number developing..."

A giant yellow glyph appeared over Rachel, covering Kagutsuchi completely.

"Connecting to congenital border...Activating Tsukuyomi Unit."

"Quite flashy if you ask me." Yukari commented, almost as a mockery.

Yukari looked through the glyph barrier and saw a twinkle in the sky, no doubt that it was coming from outer space. She had a realization in that moment.

"Ah...I see. *sigh* Well, sometimes, only power can solve problems like this." She closed her eyes. "Well then, little girl, let me show you how outclassed you are...and I hope you start respecting your elders too."

As soon as Yukari finished saying that, she closed her eyes to focus. Then, a giant gap formed over Tsukuyomi...and yes, _it matched its length_, thank you very much.

"Wha-?"

The beam from Take-Mikazuchi started entering the gap without any problem. Yukari then quickly took out her cellphone and dialed.

"Ran. It's me. You better duck."

* * *

Raim's PoV

…

...Why does part of my body feel...light?

...Hey bastard, what the hell happened?

"**No shit. You actually haven't noticed yet?**"

Notice what?

...What's that on the floor? ...Looks...odd. Gah, I cannot see it very well with all the blue. What...

…

...Is that m-? But...how? HOW?

Waitwaitwait...no, no no no no no. That isn't my arm. That isn't my arm. That isn't my arm. That isn't my arm. _That isn't my arm. That isn't my __**goddamn**__ arm!_

Wait...why then do I have my two arms here?

"**It's a long story.**"

"_Long story? Are you out of your-?_"

"**As I said, long story. Also, you better dodge.**"

"Huh?"

Several swords fell upon me, but since I'm using to her pattern now, it's far easier to dodge. Now, where's that bitc-?

…

...What the hell happened to you? Your arms are bleeding and the swords in your back are severely damaged. Your forehead is also bleeding, but not as harshly as the other wounds...

And yet, you're still alive. That's...that's quite impressive for an artificial being...

But I wonder... what caused those wounds?

"_It w-!_"

"**Meh, you knows. You hit your head hard to the ground. I think Rags managed to punish her this badly while your sorry ass started falling below.**"

…

...Huh. Well, let's just worry about trying to kill off this bitch for real.

"**How?**" Good question. "**As far as I see, the bitch will take any damage we deal to her like nothing.**"

A torrent of blades started following me. Better start running...

I managed to outrun the blades, which started melting against the blue...something. Anyways, what is this place? There's a _lot_ of that seithr thing here and everything here is painted in a deep velvet. And, for some reason, my chest feels funny...

"**What surprises me is that you can have a monologue while still outrunning a storm of blades.**"

"Shut up." I grumbled. "Anyways, things aren't immortal."

"**That pyromaniac girl is...**"

"No. She's constantly regenerating after death. That is not immortality." I corrected. "Besides, I don't think she can do that forever without any external cause interfering. The "effect" of immortality must have a "cause" to trigger itself and some sort of energy to execute. Nothing cannot happen without explanation. That's just absurd."

…

...Odd. Where did that thought come from?

"**Says the guy with the talking sword. Not to mention myself.**"

"I'll find out what are you, eventually." I said, ducking and rolling forward in order to evade everything.

"**And what's your point, anyways?**"

"I think the same phenomenon applies with her...or at least, it's similar. She's bleeding, that means that she can be hurt, but she had to have died at some point. I'm sure Ragna and I broke her legs and arms. The internal bleeding should've left her without any blood...yet there she is, still standing and...scared?

"**Perhaps she isn't as robotic as we thought.**"

"...You think? She looks like she's scared of me instead. Meh, what am I thinking? That's not possible."

Anyways, where was I?

Right.

Perhaps...she was created in some sort of way that she is unable to die? That's a cruel thought, but I cannot rule it out completely. Perhaps it was a glitch...

...But if this was intentional? What kind of sick bastard would create her like this?

"**So, in a nutshell, she's a robot zombie swordmancer?**"

You take this as a _joke? _Why? Even if this bitch is trying to kill us, if what I think holds true...then I really should feel pity for her. And yet, you still take this as a joke?

Imagine yourself that you are beaten to death, bleeding, shredded, whatever... You feel the pain, no doubt, but you don't die. You perhaps then ask why aren't you...dying.

This...this actually raises several horrible implications...

Maybe, just maybe, she feels confusion, fear, panic, even if you're not dying. And even worse, she might still wish to fight _even if she didn't really want to from the inside_. And what if she knows that, but still fights anyways, just because a fake memory or programming was put inside her head? You have to have no soul to say that you at least don't feel any pity for her!

Is that why she looked so happy when facing Ragna and stoic when facing anyone else?

...Hold on...

Nu was created. This means that she was then intentionally programmed to do exactly that. This...this may mean that she chases after Ragna, _perhaps even without even knowing him._ Ragna didn't seem to know this place completely, so this should be his first meeting with her...and yet, her interactions with Ragna suggest otherwise...

Why? What's the meaning of this shit?

"**Swords to your right.**"

A wave of blades flew right next to me. I was able to dodge, but I almost got pierced by them.

"_...So, she has no power over her own actions?_"

"Yes. And even worse... perhaps she's aware of what she's doing, but perhaps her creators twisted her mind to this point so she cannot even question why... That's just...inhuman."

**"But this is just a stupid hypothesis. But then again, if this is actually true, then I have no objection in killing those guys. I may kill people, but at least kill people that fight because they want to. A battle robot may be fun at first, but then you remember that they are just programmed like that. No genuine intent to kill after all..."**

I have gotten soft. My interactions with Reimu and the other girls, the lack of exposure to the outer world...and most importantly, the first meeting I had with her, have made me forgot how humanity is at its worst. It's disgusting...and it shouldn't exist at all...

"_...Kid?_"

And yet, the sole existence of Nu pisses me off since it is a reminder of how stupid and selfish humanity is! Why is humanity still this horrible?

* * *

_It's too late for me to ask your forgiveness. You can hate me. Resist to your heart's content..._

* * *

What if Ragna knows? Is that why he wants to kill her, to end her suffering, if it is true? Or is there another motive?

"**I don't get how all of this crap will help us beat this bitch. And, more importantly, where's the damn exit?**"

...Ah. I forgot about that. Guess I got carried away. But if we don't kill her...or at least incapacitate her severely, how can we search for it?

"_It's useless._" Huh? "_As you were running around this place, I looked around. There isn't such thing as an exit down here._"

…

…Somehow, I'm not surprised. Damn Energizer, did she send me here to die?

"**What now?**"

"...Guess we have to get out of here"

"_How?_"

"Let's kill her first. I don't want to be bothered while thinking for a way out."

"**How?**"

"She's still a robot. Perhaps a logic error will do the trick...or not."

(STAB!)

"Shit!"

A sword was lodged into my stomach, but there was no pain. Sure, the stab itself hurt...but there's no pain afterwards.

Nu rushed towards me and tried cutting my head of with the blades on her arms. I blocked the attack with Kraid and with the sword she just stabbed me with. I could see her red eyes up to this close. And she really does look like Noel...yet...

"You're scared, right?"

"…"

"Confused, perhaps?" I tried to get an answer from her, at least a proof that she was indeed emotionless and not some sort of homunculus that had her emotions killed.

I just hope it isn't the latter, because I would really lose it...

"…"

"Goddammit, say anything!"

"**Perhaps she's just a shell that had emotions inputted. Let it g-**"

"Why...?" Nu answered. "Why...aren't you...dead? It's not...logical."

"Beats me." I said, still in a blade lock with Nu. "Can I ask you something?"

"…"

"Don't clam up on me." I said. "Have you asked yourself why do you love Ragna?"

"…!"

A reaction. Finally...

"Nu will always love Ragna!" Nu said, turning into her "happy" mode. "Nu will do anything for Ragna, because Nu and Ragna will become one!"

"That wasn't my question."

"Eh?"

"I asked _why_ do you love Ragna. Not what would you do for him."

"Why does Nu love Ragna?" she blinked. "I loved Ragna...since I first met him. Up there, in that same room... I must return to Ragn-"

"That's impossible." I countered. "You couldn't have met Ragna before. You came out of that jewel and Ragna had no recollection of this area before. What you suggest is impossible."

"You're wrong." Nu smiled to herself. "Nu had met Ragna. Several times before."

"I said that's impos-"

"Sometimes it was Ragna. Some others the 12th. Some others the Power of Order. Some others a weird ninja... Oh! There was one time when a boy and the Nox Nyctores Nirvana appeared instead! And a blob, a red woman, the Susanoo Unit, the Observer and..."

...What? But...but those are people that hadn't even been here!

"That's impossible! ...Unless you met them in another time. Was it-?

"Nope. I met them all in the same day! At the same hour!"

BULLSHIT!

"...**In the same timeline?**"

WHAT?

"No. That would impossible." Nu answered.

...Timeline? Glid, what are you getting at?

"**It is the only other explanation. Meeting different people that we know they couldn't have entered here in the same day and hour, no less, means that either she's insane...or this world is trapped on a loop cycle.**"

"_How did you arrive at this conclusion?_" Kraid shouted.

"**Thinking outside the box. Simple as that.**"

…

...This...this has too many implications... And all of them are horrible...

So Ragna...everyone before, may have died in other timeline? By her? By another cause? And yet, nobody remembers but her?

...Calm down. Continue.

"...Why do you want to become one with Ragna?"

Nu giggled. And her eyes opened. Somehow, this made me more uneasy than before.

"Ragna hates the world. So Nu will help him destroy everything."

That kind of makes sense. Ragna looked always pissed at the NOL and he responded accordingly...yet he invited dinner to that cat and me and overall, he's a nice guy with a bad mouth...but I don't mind that.

"You really think that? You think you know Ragna that well to choose his fate for him? Hell, do you even know him...or have you been made to love him?"

Nu stopped once again. This time, I noticed I was loosing the blade lock as Nu pressed forward out of...rage.

"NO! I love Ragna!"

"Do you?"

"Y-Y-Y..."

Oh boy... I hope I played my hand right...

Nu started clutching her head and stepping back, flailing blades around.

"You're lying! You know nothing about me nor Ragna! Shut up shut up shut up!" Visible anger. Making progress here.

Look, I know messing with people's heads like this is completely wrong, even for me, but when you're outclassed in any sense...well, you have to do what you have to do.

"Then why do you force Ragna to love you?" Okay, think of something cheesy... "Think about it for a second. Ragna doesn't love you at all. Yet you still love him. Why are you so dense...in the opposite way?"

"**Well, she IS a goddamn robot...with serious mental issues.**"

Don't you start...

"Let's put it this way. Give up already. Your thoughts are not yours, girl. And, to be honest, are you sure you're not lying to yourself?"

Aaaand she ran towards me with the unholy combination of a death glare and berserker tears. Okay, perhaps I took it too f-

(STAB!)

Gaa...agh...!

"**Say good-bye to your pancreas.**"

Well, at least it wasn't a vital organ.

"Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME AND RAGNA! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO GET BETWEEN US? !"

"None."

"What?"

"And you know why? 'Cause I'm an asshole."

I took the opportunity of her confusion and I slashed her. Blood started pouring out, but that didn't faze her. Good grief, what does it take to take you down?

"Okay, that worked better in my head."

"**Really mature, kid.**"

Nu started pushing back, her attacks far fiercer than before. I noticed some tears fall from her cheeks...guess I was pretty harsh.

However, as I always say, when people are pissed, they leave more holes in their defense.

(SLASH!)

Like below the arm...

(SLASH!)

The leg lung...

(SLASH!)

Her back...man, you're leaving too many holes. It's just too easy.

Nu tried impaling me from the back, but I was a bit faster than her at this point. Her wounds are taking its toll on her body, be it immortal or whatnot. True, you may not die...but that doesn't mean I can't shred you until you can't stand up.

But...don't get me wrong. Beating up a girl that was brainwashed like her just feels...wrong. However, my life goes first than any kind of sympathy. Screw being a good sport!

"**Kid, better pay attention.**" Glid said. "**That bitch isn't done yet.**"

Huh?

"You need to die." Nu said. This time, I couldn't see her eyes. "Yes...humans like you just need to die, right? Am I right?"

She dashed forward and then disappeared. Shocked, I turned around by instinct and blocked her attack. Immediately, I kicked her away since she was about to summon a sword at point black range and that would be bad for me...and my guts.

"...Yeah. You're right."

"Eh?"

"Humans like me should die. I cannot deny that fact..."

In that brief moment of confusion, I punched her in the stomach, making her stagger. I then followed up with a kick towards her face.

"However, that doesn't mean _I _want to die here!" I shouted, as Nu fell back.

"**SWORD!**"

What?

(SLASH!)

"Ugh..." Okay...that definitely tore down my stomach, right?

Wait...that wasn't a summoned sword... The texture was far harder and that shape was more like a...

"**Kid, since when can the bitch manipulate the swords behind her back in order to surround you?**"

"Huh? What are you...?"

I stopped as I noticed what he meant. The swords that were behind Nu all this time started hovering around me. Without warning, one of the flew towards me. I dodged quickly but then another blade started flying towards me, so I jumped backwards. Soon afterward did I notice that the swords came to me in intervals of a second each.

Basically, I was break dancing to survive.

"**What the hell is this? Funnels?**"

"This is not Gundam...wait, how do you that?"

"_Less talk, more dodging!_"

A sword passed near my head, cutting a bit of my hair. Crap, I have to do something...

"**Okay, enough shit for one day!**"

Shut up!

"_Sword on the front!_"

Shi-!

(GRAB!)

...Huh?

"**Geez...FINALLY! Do you know how pathetic you are without my help?**"

You just coated my arm in black flames in order to grab the sword. Bigger question is...why am I not burning?

"**Does it matter?**"

Good point.

Okay, what to do, what to do...

"Catch this." I said, throwing the sword back with full force.

The sword tore through the air as Nu's face showed hints of surprise. She dodged easily, but I took that moment to move near her and burn part of her arm.

...Wait, this darkness... Perhaps I can copy Ragna's style just this once...

"**What are you planning?**"

"Stuff. Happy?"

Glid scoffed.

Nu's wounds somehow recovered fast and continued her attack. With my arms covered on black fire, things were easier. I just swatted the blades away without much effort.

"Analyzing changes on subject. Unknown li-"

"Hell's Fang!" I shouted.

My fist apparently broke some ribs when it connected. Nu's face was of confusion and shock, since she expected Ragna when I called the attack, which is still stupid. The act of calling the attack, not the name of the attack, mind you.

Since Nu was still stunned, I had room for a follow up attack...but instead of Ragna's usual follow-up, I went for an overhead variant, making my hand bigger with the flames. The attack made Nu's body bounce off the ground. However, she recovered in mid-air and kicked me with her legs...which had swords on them.

I staggered back and Nu opened _thirteen _sword portals at once, all of them around of me. Guess she know is treating me as a real threat now that I got Glid's support back.

In other words...she started fearing me. That could be useful.

Also...I need some music. There's no sound here, you know.

_(I see a little silhouetto of a man.)_

Nu made some hand gesture and the portals started firing. In normal situations, I would be shitting my pants now. But...

"Time for a test run!"  
(_Scaramouch, scaramouch will you do the fandango?)_

I slammed my fist into the blue. Black mud-like pillars rose from the ground, surrounding me, which blocked every single sword in contact.

"...Warning. Conversion of seithr in the area into an unknown source of energy. Warning..."

_(Thunderbolt and lightning - very very frightening me! )_

I don't understand what's she saying, but I have the advantage now. The black things were still here. However, I soon figured out that I could _still_ control the black energy and, thinking crazy, I gathered them into a single blob of darkness...covering my left arm and Kraid completely.

Nice.

_(Gallileo, Gallileo,_

_Gallileo, Gallileo,  
_

_Gallileo Figaro!) _

"**Okay, that was disappointing.**"

"Really? Let's test that statement, aight?"

Nu dashed at me, the swords now surrounding her as some sort of options. Huh. No matter.

"Ready?"

"_You sure this is going to work?_" Kraid said as I moved my arm backwards.

"Heheh...I have no idea!"

_(Magnifico~!)_

And I slashed the area. No, seriously. I'm not kidding. The black energy just...grew exponentially to thrice its size, now resembling a giant claw.

_(But I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me  
He's just a poor boy from a poor family!_

_Spare him his life from this monstrosity!) _

"…!" Nu stopped in shock, or so I think.

The claw managed to grab Nu and shatter the swords in the process.  
_(Easy come easy go - will you let me go?) _

Quickly, I slammed her to the ground without stopping.  
_(Bismillah! NO!)_

One. Two.

_(We will not let you go - let him go!)_

Three.

_(Bismillah! We will not let you go - let him go!) _

Four.

_(Bismillah! We will not let you go - let me go!) _

Five and more. I lost count how many times I slammed her into the ground.

_(Will not let you go - let me go (never)!)_

"Levels of seithr...falling. Phenomenon unidentified." Still don't understand.

"**Shouldn't you finish this already? I really don't like fighting something without will like her.**"

...Yeah. I think I understand. Sorry, Nu...I'm so sorry.

_(Never let you go - let me go!  
Never let me go – ooo~! )_

I dragged her back towards me at high speeds in order to prevent her from attacking and headbutted her. While stunned, I focused energy on Kraid once again, now trying to replicate the Black Onslaught.

"**Wait, seriously?**"

_(No, no, no, no, no, no, NO~!) _

"Fake Onslaught!" I stabbed Nu with a black Kraid. And why did I shout that?

Whatever. Here we go!

_(Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go!) _

"QUEEN!" The concentrated energy took the shape of a scythe and I started hacking her.

_(Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me...!) _

I continued shredding her, the scythe growing exponentially with every hit.

(_For me...)_

"Bohemian Rhapsody...!" Sorry, I got caught on the song while charging the energy into one single point...but sadly, no same draining effect as Ragna, but still, she remained stunned.

But no matter, I still impaled her.

_(FOR ME~!)_

Just as Kraid managed to touch her, a red and black explosion occurred from its tip. Nu was sent backwards at ridiculous speeds, crashing into the blue with such force that...somehow, the wall of this cauldron _cracked_ a bit. Whoa. I can't believe I did that.

"**Pfft, you? It was all me, baby.**"

"_Is...is it over?_"

Not sure yet. Anyways, enough Queen for today.

The light cleared after some seconds. And to my horror, she was _still_ alive. What.

"**Okay, this is ridiculous.**"

"Target...you...why...Ragna..."

You have a hole where your stomach should be...

"Seithr...Ragna...where are you?"

...Please, just die. I just want you to fall down and stop. Even if my assumptions are false, I really don't want to hurt you anymore.

"You...took Ragna away from me...why why why..."

Just stop...

Nu started limping towards me, summoning a sword in her hand. She's desperate now...or perhaps I hit her head way too hard. Drops of blood fell to the blue ground as she walked.

She's staring at me. I have the chance to take advantage of her state and beat the crap outta her, but...I cannot bring myself that low.

She's few feet away from me. Her braid was long, making her hair flow freely. Her cheeks were covered in blood and she was obviously in pain. Seriously, stop!

"I must find...him. Must...become one with him..."

She tried slashing me, but her attacks lacked strength and the blade didn't manage to make a wound. She then fell to her knees, still repeating Ragna's name.

…

...So sad. Truly.

"**Kid. Just...just kill her, alright? I can't watch this anymore.**"

I wish I knew how.

"Why...why...?" Nu said, starting to cry with her eyes open.

"…"

"I must..."

"Answer me this." I interrupted.

Nu didn't answer, but she did hear me.

"Do you wish to die? If not, stop doing something you're not sure about."

"…"

"Come on, just look at yourself!" I snapped. "Your stomach is missing! Your limbs are broken! ...And yet, you don't mind feeling pain like that, just for the sake of something fake?"

"My love for Ragna isn't fake!"

"Then why doesn't Ragna return the feelings? ...'Cause that is how relationships normally work, right?"

I honestly have no idea about relationships. But I'm damn sure they do not involve killing each other. Perhaps in another planet or weird culture in this world, but how can I know?

"That's...!"

"*sigh* Look, word of advice. When something doesn't work out as you want, stop chasing it. Not that I care what happens to you, but...stop living in a delusion and grow up...or something like that."

"**Can robots gro-? Kid, that was a stupid question.**"

I noticed.

Nu hanged his head down. The awkward silence remained for a while when...

"Data corrupt... I...I do like Ragna?"

"**Uh, kid? I think you're causing a critical error in her head.**"

Either that kills her or snaps her to reality. Both are good outcomes for me, but I kinda prefer the latter...just a bit.

"What if..." Nu shifted between "regular" mode to "robot" mode when she spoke. "Library not found. Cannot identify... But I do remember! ...Fatal kernel error imminent...Or, was it all...no, no! It isn't like... Subject...not...hostile? Ugh, my head...my head! It hurts! IT HURTS!"

Aw crap.

"H-Hey! Calm down! Focus on...err, something else!"

"Aaaaaghh...!"

"**Come on, kid. You're not helping!**"

Aah...what do I do? What do I do?

...Well, when in doubt, do something stupid.

(SLAP!)

"Get a hold of yourself!" I slapped her, trying to make her come back to her senses or something like that. "You already have a hole in your stomach. Don't make it worse!"

Nu's tears stopped. She looked at me directly. And then collapsed on the blue ground.

Oookaay... That might not have gone as I wanted.

"**Might?**"

Shut it, you.

"I'm...tired..." Oh, she's still alive.

At least Mokou's regenerates fast. Nu's body still has her wounds. And I find myself worried for why am I not disgusted by seeing the insides of someone.

"Remember something horrible, right?" I said.

She nodded quietly. You know, now that I'm thinking about it, according to her behavior right now, I'd say she was programmed to protect the cauldron from threats. Since I'm not attacking her _and_ we both are inside the cauldron...guess I found a loophole in her logical programming.

"...Wanna talk about it?"

Nu blinked in confusion as I sat down.

"You...talk with Nu?"

"What do you think I'm doing? Scratching my belly?"

Nu didn't answer. Seems she doesn't understand sarcasm.

"**But of course she doesn't.**" Glid said.

"I...remembered things. Horrible things that happened long, long ago. Or perhaps...Nu didn't experience that. But it felt so real...and painful."

Poor girl has some issues. I didn't ask for details in order not to traumatize her more.

"Let's change the subject if you don't like it." I said, focusing in another topic, ignoring her wound...which is hard. "Well, what about..."

"You asked me...if I liked Ragna...right?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"I really do."

…

…And by the look on her face, she's being honest. Guess that I cracked her programming by force, but she still likes him.

Heh. That thing called love is as weird as shit.

"But...why?"

"Because...he was the first thing I remembered."

Remembered? That doesn't make sense.

"Nu was all alone... But Ragna would always appear in Nu's mind, beyond normal protocols."

Huh? So...in order words...

"**She remembered Ragna before being turned into...you know, her. Perhaps someone looked at her mind and said "Hey, this might be fun! Let's make her fall in love psychotically with this guy, you know, for shits and giggles... My god, my penis is small..."**"

*snicker*

Okay, that was uncalled for. But kinda funny in a twisted way.

"...Ngh..." And Nu didn't like his comments.

"Sorry. Can't find the mute button for him yet." I said.

"You...are the first one who is nice to Nu."

"…Sorry to hear that..." I scratched the back of my head.

"Why are you...suddenly nice to me? I can't understand."

Well...

"Let's just say that I had a change of heart when I realized something about you." Something horrible, but I won't tell you for your own sanity. "Besides, even though I fought girls before, and for my need of survival...I just cannot bring myself to finish you, even if you DID want to kill us, but that's the past now.

"I...see..." Nu said, but her tone of voice was getting lower. "You forgive Nu?"

"Sorta, yes."

There was an awkward silence. Since I'm not good with people in general, I really don't know how

to continue a conversation for too long...

"Nu has spent to much time alone..." Nu continued. "So cold in here...only blue around me..."

"For how long?"

"Nu doesn't know...Nor Nu cares..." She said tiredly. "I miss Ragna..."

And with that wound, I don't think you won't see him for a while. Or even get out of here...

Speaking of which...

"Do you the way out of here?"

"No. But I will find one. I have to become one with Ragna."

"Enough with the innuendo."

"What's innuendo?"

Seriously?

"...You know what? Forget about it. Just...just don't say things like "becoming one" or "too rough", okay? These are not things a girl should say."

"...Okay."

You know... Nu acts almost like a newborn baby. You have to tell her what's wrong and what she shouldn't do. Well, it is kinda justified since...well... she was inside that sword thing alone.

If only Ragna or someone else had spent the time to just, you know, talk to her, perhaps all of this might have been avoided.

And I can see why did I stop fighting her. She's just like a kid. And kids are inherently innocent. Just like dogs. I like dogs too.

"Do you think this world needs to end?" Nu, why are you asking that all of the sudden?

"…"

"Ragna feels that too. He hates this world. And so do I. That's why I want to us become one... to get rid of this sad world."

"...Yeah. You may be right. Sometimes, I think the world isn't worth it, just by looking how people nowadays are so messed up."

"You do agree..."

"But..." I said, staring at her, which surprised her. "It may be a rotten, pile of scum and villainy, but I still believe that there's something valuable in this piece of crap. That's what she said to me and I'll believe her."

"**I still think she was a little too optimistic. Face it. You're just believing something without conjecture.**"

"What of it? I choose what too believe." I said to myself...To still try to believe those words.

God's still an asshole, though.

"…"

"Go on, if you don't like what I said, say it." I shrugged. "I don't care."

"...You truly believe that?"

"Yep."

"...Even though you do know how bad this world is?"

"Not only this world..."

"Eh?"

"Oh, sorry... Forget about that." I almost slapped myself in my stupidity. "But the point is... that I'm just a fool that follows what I think. But I'm not stupid, no sir."

Nu blinked and, for a second, I thought her eyes opened a bit more than usual. What I said was true, but did she took my words at heart?

"You're an interesting one." Nu said.

"Nah, I'm just a human."

"**Really?**"

"? What do you mean?"

"**Nevermind**."

What are you hiding, Glid?

"...Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Go on."

"Could you be my friend?"

You're asking the guy that just impaled you in cold blood, punched you and maimed you to be your friend?

...Well, at this point, I have considered this place insane, so the surprise ended quite fast.

"Sure, I suppose." I said, scratching the back of my head, since this situation was so weird. "But it would be the shortest friendship ever since...well, you're dying."

Or so I think...

"Don't worry. Nu won't go anywhere."

Excuse me?

"Nu won't die as long as Ragna is alive."

…

...What.

"C-Care to elaborate that?"

"…"

Hello?

"…"

I poked her in the head. No response.

"**Is she dead?**"

"I'm...I'm not sure myself. She just...stopped talking."

"_The poor thing. Must've gotten tired after all that talking._"

If that's the reason, then I'm sorry. However...

"What did she mean by "she won't die if Ragna doesn't"?"

**"Who cares? Look, we're stuck in this blue pot without a way out. What now, kid?"**

Hmm...

* * *

Some of the important things I learned in my life include fighting without any honor since chivarly is dead, taunt the opponent to make them drop their guard, take advantage of the surroundings...and always respect dead people since, hey, they're dead.

Making fun of the dead is not cool. And by that logic, I made a grave for Nu using her swords.

"**Was this necessary?"**

"The dead cannot do anything bad to you."

"**Says the guy that faced a zombie outbreak back there without problems. 'Minor technicism', huh?"**

"That was an unnatural situation. And really, mess with someone else's decaying body? That's just messed up. Besides, I fought them because they were trying to kill me."

"**Whatever you say."**

Nu's body remained limp on the ground. She did try to kill me...but she wasn't bad on the core.

Humanity made her like this.

...

"Well, now wh-?"

* * *

(THUD!)

"Ow! Shit, that hurt!"

"You..." Huh? "Don't you know how hard was it to find you?"

Yukari? Man, I am _not_ glad to see you, of all people!

"_Bitch!_" Thank you, Kraid. "_What are you doing here?_"

"You should thank me that I at least tried to find you." Yukari said. "You really are a handful."

"**On the contrary. You just suck doing anything alone.**"

Nice. Next time, warn me when are you going to warp me into one of those holes of yours.

Also, why didn't Kraid negate it this time? ...Something must have happened back then...

"What?" You too, Energizer. "You...you survived being inside the Cauldron?"

Energizer seemed to have lost her cool just by seeing me alive. What, does people that fall there die then? However, she quickly recovered.

"It seems that you are as...popular as she said."

"Not funny, Energizer."

"Would you stop? Your sense of giving names are even worse than Ragna's." Energizer said.

"..." Oh hey, Ragna. You're here too. And it seems that Noel's okay. And...why aren't you speaking. Also, why do you look so angry?

"...!"

"Ah, right. I forgot about that." Yukari sighed.

She waved her hand towards Ragna, and he started speaking.

Wait, did you just mute Ragna? How? !

"You bitch!" Yes, Ragna, I know she's one. "Why did you do that to me?"

"You were too noisy."

"Just for that? !"

"See? You're doing it again." Yukari sighed.

Ragna started drawing Blood-Scythe. I'm not stopping him, by the way. Yukari always does stuff like this. I wonder why Reimu does not do anything about her...

"...Tch. Why bother now?" Ragna? "Hey Raim, how are you?"

"Fine, Ragna. She wasn't as bad as she seemed."

"...What."

"I'll explain later."

*clap* *clap* *clap*

What? Who's...

"I'm impressed! Really! I did not expect that what he said was right...but here you are! Alive and well! Hahahahaha!"

A man dressed in black, complete with a fedora, was laughing his ass off like a maniac. Ragna and Rachel froze in place, as if they saw something horrible. However, both Yukari and me just blinked in confusion.

"Huh? Just who are...?"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Ragna rushed towards the man as Rachel summoned lightning. He effortlessly dodged the lightning and then did limbo and dodged Ragna's attack.

"Hey now, that was close. What the hell?" The man laughed and mocked Ragna at the same time.

"**I'll admit. He's kinda cool."**

"Hmm...It seems she's still asleep, eh?" the man said, referring to a sleeping Noel. "Hey, wake up. Don't be such a drag and just wake up, you puppet."

And he knows Noel's some sort of robot. She slowly started waking up.

"Ngh...Huh? H-Hazama?"

"No! Noel! Do not look at that man!"

Too late for that, she was currently watching him, while he still kept laughing like a hyena. And, I don't know what Noel saw, but she shivered in fear.

"Who...Who are you? !"

For some reason I do not comprehend, the man's green hair turned spiky, like if he was a Super Saiyan. It is...kind of hilarious, if you ask me.

"**Dude, what's with your hair?"**

"Hahahahaha! You recognized me, didn't you? !" Hazama said. "Hey, shitty vampire, who's laughing now? !"

"**Nevermind, he practically passes as the most awesome being here!" **Oh great.

"I have nothing to say to a being like you, Terumi."

Wait. Is it Terumi or is it Hazama? Don't confuse me.

"Damn you..." Ragna was practically growling at this man. I really want to know why.

"Long time no see, Ragna the Bloodedge. How's your right arm holding up?"

Ooohh... I get it.

"Oops, my bad. It was me who chopped that off, wasn't it?"

Yep, that confirms it...Hold on, I thought Jin did that.

"So, how is it? Doesn't that fake arm come in handy? Do you think it is good for a silly imitation?" Terumi was smiling during the whole time.

"Shut up, you son of a bitch!" Ragna was about to attack again when Rachel's raised a hand in front of him.

"Ragna, stop!"

"Don't interrupt me, rabbit!"

"I agree with Ragna. Why stop him to kill someone he hates? Are you an idiot?"

"**I second that!**"

"Bravo." Terumi clapped. "Finally! Someone that agrees with me."

"*sigh* Would you stop all this? I have to be somewhere with this kid, so if you could just stop..." Yukari said.

"..." Rachel looked at me fiercely. Well, shit. "...Ignoring his comment, I loathe to admit that the situation has changed. You cannot win this fight, Ragna."

"I call bullshit." I said. "Ragna has a sword...and hell, even you are on his side. Why not?"

"This kid is far more smart than he looks like."

"Hey!"

"Raim's right! Rabbit, you can help me take out this bastard! Why won't you help me? !"

"..." She remained silent.

"Aw, don't even bother. Even if you too work together, you won't even land a hit on me. Truuuust me, I know what I'm saying. Besides, I think that dumb vampire right there is the only one who can keep up with me now. That, and that woman over there."

So even you thread carefully around Yukari... Wait, that means you _know_ what she's capable of. How do you know that? You haven't met her... or so I think. Dammit, I lack information!

"Hm? Who told you about me?"

"Weeeeeell, I _am_ the Captain of the Intelligence Division. I should know all of these things!"

"Impossible. You cannot know about me. Who told you? !"

Terumi shrugged, his body language obviously saying "Who cares?"

"Besides..." He referred to Ragna. "A little bitch like you wouldn't be able to satisfy me."

"...You know that sounded reeeeally creepy, didn't you?" I said, stepping back a bit.

"Did I? Oh well, whatever. Keeheeheehee!"

"...Bastard!" Ragna shouted. "You wanna try me, huh? ! Well then bring it on, you son of a bitch!"

"Huh. That's a little too cocky for a puppy like you..."

"...Why puppy?" I couldn't resist to ask. "He's a human being. I don't see any tail, mind you."

"Well, there a lot of examples, little boy. You see, good ol' Rags here always heads on things without thinking, like a dog with rabies. He also barks a lot! And...well, you could say he leaves every place he goes like a pile of shit."

**"So, by that logic, he shits a lot?"**

"Precisely!" Terumi continued laughing.

"Shut up!" Okay, okay, Ragna. I'm sorry.

"Hahaha... but kidding aside, if you keep yelping like that, I'll seriously kill you."

"You mean me or Ragna?"

"Both. Why not?"

Shit.

"Oh? And just who is cocksure now..."

Rachel appeared behind Terumi.

"...little boy."

"Just kidding!" Terumi said. "Damn, you're scary, lady."

You called her shitty before and now scary? Be consistent.

"But seriously, you're lucky, Ragna. You have such a sweet guardian with you!" Terumi said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"What did you say, you son of a bitch? !"

"I told you to stop, Ragna!" Energizer raised her voice.

"Well, I'm in a really good mood today, so I'll let the puppy go. After that _hilarious_ fight you got with the kid. I mean, haha, I thought you were going to kick his ass! But he surprised me so much by the way he dodged and pissed you off that I gave him assistance."

WHAT? !

"Wait, so you mean you helped me beat this bitch? !"

"Why yes, of course. After all, I'll admit, a normal human like you couldn't stand up to that garbage by yourself."

"You..." Rachel looked quite livid right now.

"Besides, I'll be a bother even for me to handle five scary people at once. Oops, my bad! More like three people and two dogs, huh? Hahahahahahahaha!"

Did you compare me to a dog? ! That's actually...nice?

No, seriously, I like dogs. They are loyal to you if you're nice to them and they not humans. That's fine in my head.

"**You have serious problems."**

Bite me.

"Let's do this again, stupid vampire. Say hello to the old man for me."

Ragna roared in fury as he tried to slash him in half, but he vanished almost instantly.

"Hey! Wait the hell up!"

"Something worries me..." Yukari said. "He actually knew about me. He couldn't have known beforehand..."

"You do this dimensional hoping as a habit?"

"Not at all. I prefer sleeping in my warm futon, thank you."

"**Yeah, I can imagine. You then scratch your belly like a pig, don't ya?"**

"And I didn't ask that."

"...I forgot you're not as relaxed as Reimu. What a problem you are." Yukari rubbed her head.

"You done?"

Ragna punched a wall in frustration as Noel started recovering from this mess of revelations that make no sense to me.

"What was all that about? What is going on?" Good, Noel. You're asking better questions.

"That bastard...!" Ragna, you've said the same thing several times now. Be creative. "Rabbit! Why did you stop me?"

"Oh dear... Don't tell me you have got deft. As I told you before, you're no match for him."

I still don't get it. He was just one guy. Well, one crazy psycho, but it was just one man.

"If you think that he was a normal man like you, you really need to develop a sixth sense for these things, boy." What are you talking about, Yukari?

"...Hey." Noel nervously walked towards me. "Are you okay? Last thing I remember...you fell down...there."

She gave a fearful look to the Cauldron. However, she seemed far scared for some reason.

"Hey, I'm still alive. What else do you need me to explain?"

"O-Okay..." That's didn't seem to convince Noel too much. Well, after all the shit that happened...it is kinda justified.

*sigh*

I just want to go home now... Besides, their business is not my problem. But I will admit that working alongside Ragna was fun.

"You're leaving?" Ragna noticed me when I was walking away.

"Yeah. The exit down there is pure bullshit. I'll find another way out."

"I get you. This place is as crazy as hell."

"Yeah."

For some reason, he remained quiet until he spoke again.

"...Is she dead?"

"...Yeah." I said. "You know, you really don't look relieved at all. In fact, you look kind of sad."

"..." Ragna didn't say anything. "Nevermind."

"**Don't tell me you feel sympathy from that girl, Rags!**"

"Not your business." He said, annoyed at Glid.

"What I don't get was that she said that she won't die unless you do. Kind of weird stuff, don't you think?"

I looked at Rachel, which seemed to know what exactly that meant. Her body movements, albeit brief and short, delate her.

"...Hm." Ragna was tired, after all. I'm more surprised both of us have enough vitality to talk and stand.

"...Are you deliberately ignoring me?" Yes, Yukari. Get the clues. "Because I can send you back...but know I feel very less compelled to do so."

"I'll find another way out." Yes, Yukari. I _am_ ignoring you.

"Argh!" Ragna grabbed his head in frustration. "Rabbit, what the hell is going on? !"

"...I'm afraid that'll have to wait, Ragna. You should..."

"Energizer, stop feeding him bullshit." Seriously. "I don't get what just happened either, but I'm pretty sure that you, at least, have a certain idea of what the hell is going on. I don't like when people hide things from me, even strangers."

"Besides, even I tell stuff in a cryptic manner. I really think you're not very good on this "mysterious" role here."

"Are you mocking me? I must add that your actions are pointless."

"Yeah. Just as your ways to explain what is going on here. How good you are at those!"

Energizer looked at me, frowning. I really don't care what the bitch is hiding, but I can at least enjoy annoying the hell outta her.

"You want to know what the True Eye is? If so, what will you do with this information, may I ask?"

"Well, I..."

"You do not know? And yet, you crave for information? How fitting of you to think something without even thinking about it." Energizer said. "However, I have to tell you that the Eye must be protected. I do not know what will happen next. And since Terumi is on the move..."

"...He'll try to get Noel, right?" I said.

...

...I did not stay because I was curious. Nope. Definitely not.

"**Sure. I'll believe that _blindly._**"

"Eye?" Noel trembled. "What do you mean I'm an 'Eye'?"

"...At this point, it is not important."

"There you go again." I said. "Don't you know that people do stupid things when they lack information? Energizer, seriously, they're asking you nicely."

"...Knowing what the 'Eye' is won't change anything." Bullshit. "What it's important now is that you go and hide with Noel Vermillion. Terumi seemed to be overconfident at this point. But that does not assure that he won't come back and attack you. And if you engage him in battle..."

"He won't be able to beat him, blah blah blah, we know that." I continued. Is your job to repeat everything we now by far and not saying anything of substance? Or is it just me?

"...We're leaving. Now." Lost your patience, huh, hag? "I don't have the time for business in another world."

I don't need your help here... True, I got into this mess by myself...and taking your help would save time...but...

...

...Shit. Why are you the only pragmatic choice to take?

"FINE! Open your damn gap, I don't care!"

Argh, I hate when she smiles like that!

"**We think alike in that part."**

"*chuckle* Finally came to your senses, didn't you?"

She finally opened one gap on the floor. I noticed that Rachel showed interest in the nature of the gaps themselves, but she didn't ask.

But first...

"Well, Ragna, it seems it's time for me to go." I said. "It was nice knowing you, man."

"Heh." Ragna smiled. "Same to goes to you, Raim. I have to admit, you got some skills, after been able to survive up to this point."

"Yeah." I said. "Also...you really need to control your anger."

"Why?" Ragna didn't seem to like my words.

"Because, well, you'll probably go rush into shit and get yourself hurt or worse. Calm down first, then kill whatever you think it needs to be killed."

"...Easier said than done." Ragna sighed.

"Nothing more else to say than...good luck, man."

"Same to you, man."

I extended my fist. Ragna raised an eyebrow.

"Bro fist much?" I asked. "Look, just fist me."

Ragna didn't understand at first, but then, he extended his fist into a bro fist.

"And this is?" He asked.

"Think it of a manlier handshake." I said. "And now you know."

"**Was this really necessary?**"

What? He's a cool dude.

Also...

"...You there, Noel?"

She hid behind Ragna on reflex, which seemed to annoy Ragna a bit.

"Oh, for the love of God..." Ragna facepalmed. And no, God, or YHVH, loves no one. "Would you just grow a spine?"

"U-Um..." Noel fidgeted. "W-What do you want?"

"Just wanted to say that you are one of the most nervous person I've ever met."

"Uhh..." She looked at her feet, not trying to make eye contact.

"...Yet you helped me recover and get through this place. So...thanks, I guess." I sighed. "Also, you really need to stop doubting yourself and stand for your own beliefs, you know?"

"But I really don't want to upset anyone..."

"Look, the world isn't nice." I said bluntly. "Either you get swallowed by this world or you muster some courage from yourself and face your problems. I mean, you really want him to boss you every day?"

"Hey!" Ragna said.

"_It's for her to stop annoying you._" I whispered to him.

"_Really? !_" He answered back.

"? What are you talking about?" Noel tilted her head sideways.

"About oranges" I lied, saying the first thing that came to my mind. Weird. "To avoid confusion, just get braver and...decide for yourself. Believe in the you who believes in yourself."

"...How does that make any sense?"

"Eh, you'll figure it out." I shrugged to Noel's inquiry.

"Done?" Yes, hag.

"Yeah, yeah."

Well, now wh-?

(KICK!)

Argh! Why did you kicked me towards the gap? ! Also, the moment I touched the gap, it dissolved.

"Ah, right. I forgot about that." Yukari sighed.

You bitch! Wait until I...

...

...Why am I floating?

"**Hey, let go!" **The bastard said as I looked up and saw Yukari efforlessly holding me by my shirt. She doesn't look strong, but now I know I'm very wrong.

"I just don't like doing physical labor like this, but that skill that sword has is really annoying. And I know you won't let it go for anything in the world."

That doesn't mean you have to drag me up like a puppet! Let go, dammit!

* * *

Third's PoV

"...Hey, Rachel." Ragna was apparently calm.

"Is something the matter, Ragna? Don't tell me your small little mind cannot comprehend what just happened?"

"I don't have time to joke around, rabbit." Ragna sighed. "What did Terumi meant with the Eye?"

"As I told you, it is not important right now."

Ragna scoffed. He finally gave up.

"...Fine." He said. "Hey!" He called out Noel.

"Eh?"

"We're getting outta here. Of course, if you don't want to follow, I won't bother you. 'Sides, I prefer to travel without baggage."

"N-No. I'm coming..." She said, almost defeated, due to stress and being tired. "I won't run!"

Ragna sighed.

"What did I get myself into...?"


	11. Epilogue

Third's PoV

"Well well, Hakumen, it is nice to meet you, at last." Kokonoe said with a cat smile.

"Grimalkin! You...!"

"Hey, no need to get pissed off. What can you do after all? We have taken Susanoo away from you just in case. So be a good boy and stay there, alright?"

"You won't get away with this, cat!"

Kokonoe smiled to herself. Even with all the mishaps that occurred, she captured Hakumen as she planned.

"I have to say, nice work out there, Tager."

"Thanks." He said shortly. "However, I have to ask you, Kokonoe, what are you going to do with that other thing?"

"Oh? You mean this?"

Kokonoe pulled out a red card, which teleported with Hakumen when the temporal distortion happened.

"Well, you know me. I wanna know everything about this bitch! The raw magic in here is...just amazing!"

It is _still_ just a card. Raim's card, by the way.

"Oh great..." Tager rolled his eyes, knowing that nobody could stop Kokonoe when she was in this state. However, he couldn't help but ask... "What are you going to do with that, anyways?"

"Remember the Prime Field Device I made you pick up last time? The 11th, I mean."

"The one from..."

* * *

"Bro...ther...where are...you?"

Jin didn't know where he was. His body was not responding. Even with his nigh-immesurable determination to stand up, his body didn't respond. There _are _limits to the body, you know.

"Dammit...Move...move..!"

His consciousness was slipping away, when...

"...! There's someone here...!"

"Dear god, is that the Hero of Ikaruga?" A voice said. "Someone, bring the doctor!"

The last thing Jin saw was several people running to him and helping him move.

"Ngh...Brother..."

* * *

"Well well, this was a fun day!" Hazama laughed to himself as he saw Jin being taken away from afar. "Still, have to hand it to Rags, he really did a number to Mr. Personality down there..."

He then put a straight face when remembering something.

"...And that kid wasn't half bad either. It looked just like a mini-Rags, if you know what I mean."

"Don't get any funny ideas." A voice said from behind. "I thought I told you that you..."

"Yeah yeah, don't kill him, I get it." He snorted. "Still, he was fun enough for yours truly to give him a hand against the shitty vampire."

"You almost made her notice you."

"You mean the shitty vampire or that broad in purple?"

"Both." The voice said. "You really are not careful, are not?"

"Well, I have my own style to do things, you know? Besides, the kid's okay. Stop whining about it."

"...Then I think our deal is done." The voice said. "You did not harm the kid."

"And you used that laser from Take-Mikazuchi for god knows what." Hazama laughed. "Though honestly, I'm kinda curious of what are you planning."

"There was no plan." The voice seemed calm. "I just asked for permission to use it. That's what a good gentleman does when things don't belong to him, doesn't it?"

Hazama laughed.

"Pfft! Ha ha ha ha ha! I take it back, you are funnier than the kid!"

"Your compliment is noted." The voice seemed to smile.

"You know, we are not so different after all..."

"Hm?"

"You see, I just want the world to stop lying to itself and embrace despaaaair! What _you_ want is a world of unparalleled freedom, not caring shit about a set order. It's basically the same."

"In that, you are wrong."

"Oh. My apologies. Did I touch a nerve?" Hazama said with high sarcasm. "So sorry, your highness."

"But yes...humanity has become blind of its true potential. That kid is..."

"A tool?"

"Wrong again. I want him to become the paragon of the true freedom I plan for humanity to follow." The voice raised his tone. "I won't let Him continue His tyranny."

Oh god, you are Lucifer, aren't you? !

"...Basically, a tool."

"...At least _he_ chooses what to do. I just am...trying to make him see what path I've chosen and what will it lead him to."

"But if he's allowed to choose, he might go against you, don't you think? Me? I just prefer to play around with them or brainwash them. You know, classic fun."

"Fine by me."

That surprised Hazama.

"Sorry, what?"

"If he chooses _not_ to join me, I'm fine with that too. If he tries to fight me, it's okay." Louis explained. "As long as he doesn't become His sympathizer, I won't oppose him. And I doubt he will."

"But what if he does, in a, you know, hypothetical scenario?"

"...Then I'll crush him down."

…!

"Wow. Cold to the core. Classy!"

"I have been around for too long. And I've seen humanity's progress far more than you. And I'm betting on them."

"Dibs on them destroying themselves."

"...We'll see about that..."

Hazama then started walking away.

"Well, it was nice to do business with you." Hazama removed his fedora, quite dramatically.

"I just asked for a favor."

"And...?"

"And in return, I won't get involved in your affairs here." Louis said.

"Good. You don't cross me, I don't kill you. Well, not that I think I even can..." Hazama was really wary of his status and power.

But then noticed that Louis was gone.

"Geez, guy's too freaky even for my standards..."

* * *

"..."

"Is something wrong, m'lady?" Valkenhayn inquired.

"...Nothing. I was just contemplating the events of today. Even though the crisis was averted, I feel like something's missing."

Rachel looked directly at her tea.

_"Don't you know that people do stupid things when they lack information? Energizer, seriously, they're asking you nicely." _

"Tell me, Valkenhayn."

"What is it, madam Rachel?"

"Was I wrong about upholding the information I know from Ragna? After all, even if he wouldn't understand it with that small mind of his, part of me tells me he deserves to know a bit more."

"...If you want my opinion, m'lady, I do not think Ragna the Bloodedge is ready to receive the knowledge you hold. The temper of that man would just make him do something...reckless, if I say."

"True." Rachel closed her eyes. "He is the most reckless man I have ever seen. He's brash and might act like a fool any now and then..."

"Indeed."

"...Yet, I just cannot deny the words of that boy." Rachel frowned. "Sooner or later, he must know."

"If that's the case, then I have no objections." Valkenhayn said politely. "I'll follow your judgment wherever it'll lead."

"Thank you, Valkenhayn." She smiled as she continued sipping her tea with utmost elegance.

However, she was still wondering why did Hazama help the kid. He wasn't vital in any plan she could think of, and yet, the sole act of him actually helping someone else just confused her.

"_Who exactly was that boy?_" Rachel continued to ask herself. "_For Terumi to help him... what is he plotting?_"

She shook her head. As far as she knows, Raim had already gone back home, so this mental trail was going nowhere.

"Perhaps I'm thinking too much..."

* * *

"How frustrating." Bang said, not so far from the NOL headquarters. "How could I let Ragna the Bloodedge and the other young man escape from under my nose? ! How inexcusable! Oh, how shameful!"

You know, for a ninja that you should be, you are too awfully loud.

"...No, I must come to my senses. After all, it is not over yet!" He proclaimed to the air. "Fear not, citizens of Kagutsuchi! I, BANG SHISHIGAMI, will not let those foul criminals to ran free, causing chaos whenever they go. This I shall swear!"

"...Mr. Bang?" The confused voice of Carl came to his notice. "What are you doing here? More importantly, where is this place?"

"Ah, my young cute disciple has heard my solemn oath of justice!" Bang smiled, almost seemingly crying tears of joy. "Come on now, let us walk into the sunset, proud of being alive another day to face evil in all of its incarnations."

"Huh?" That was Carl's only sane response. "Well, I don't know what you are talking about. Mr. Bang, I need to know if you have seen Ragna the Bloodedge around here."

"...! You have seen him?! Where? !" Bang shouted, looking around fiercely.

...Stop posing like that.

"That why I'm asking you!" Carl said.

The confusion continued for a while, until Carl calmly defused the situation.

"I see..." Bang crossed his arms, nodding profoundly. "It seems I was mistaken. And no, I have not seen Ragna the Bloodedge after my last encounter in the front of the headquarters of those fiends of the Library! However, he was not alone. That other young man was following him. I'm sure they were in cahoots! No doubt about it!"

"I understand." Carl said. "Thanks for your help, Mr. Bang. Now, if you'll excuse..."

He started heading into the NOL headquarters.

"Wait! You're not seriously going in there, right? !"

"...Mr. Bang, I have to do something important, for the sake of my sis."

"But you're too young for this!" Bang said, worried about Carl. "Ragna the Bloodedge is too strong for you! Be reasonable!"

"...You don't understand! I...!"

They instantly heard commotion inside. Carl hid, grabbing Bang by his arm in order to avoid been detected.

The footsteps drew closer and then, with a deafening thud, the door was kicked open. A troop of soldiers dressed in blue walked out, fast but not to the extent of running. Bang and Carl noticed from their hiding spot that they were dragging out a bleeding Jin, fresh out from his fight with Ragna, although they don't know that themselves.

"...K-Kisaragi-sempai?" Carl was shocked by his current state.

"Jin Kisaragi!" Bang _almost_ yelled, but was stopped.

"Shh! Not so loud!"

"Ah...right, my apologies." Bang said. "But what in the world happened in there?"

"...If he fought the Shinigami, then...!"

Carl waited for the squad to disappear in order to ran to the entrance. Bang, being faster than he seemed, stood on his path.

"Please, Mr. Bang, move aside. I have something to do."

"...Young Carl, I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why? !" Carl started to get impatient. "You don't understand! You adults never understand!"

Bang closed his eyes.

"May I ask what is so important that you are willing to run blindly into the face of danger? I admire your bravery, yes, but please listen to reason! If anything happened to you, an innocent young man like you, under my watch, I would never forgive myself!"

"Mr. Bang..." Carl stopped.

Carl stopped to think. He was tired from his previous encounter with the two, and he was also hungry. Also, he really didn't know if Ragna did those wounds. The thought of something worse down there finally hit home.

"...Sorry. You are a good person. I really shouldn't have shouted at you like that." Carl said. "Please, accept my apologies."

"Oh, it's nothing." Bang proudly smiled. "Come now, my young disciple, let us eat!"

"I'm not that hungry."

Cue the growl of your stomach. Carl's cheeks went red of embarrassment.

"Err..." Carl moved his gaze somewhere else.

"Oh ho ho!" Bang cheered him up. "It is natural for boys to be hungry at this time of the day! Don't worry, I, BANG SHISHIGAMI, will help you find some place to eat! Now...to Orient Town! We'll walk towards the sunset as man of destiny!"

"...It's night already. There's no sunset at all." Carl pointed out.

Bang remained immobile for some seconds. Then added...

"It doesn't matter. Come along, my young disciple! Towards healthy food that isn't bell peppers!"

Carl complied as he followed Bang around. In his mind, he thinks no adult should ever be trusted at all...yet Bang was not like them. Instead, he tried to help him and was even worried of him, a total stranger on his eyes. Also, Litchi also tried to help him.

...He then realized that he judged them wrong after all.

"...You know, sis. I don't think they aren't bad at all..."

* * *

"Look, doctor!" Linhua pointed at the fireworks. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, it is." Litchi smiled.

Since this was New Year's Eve, everyone in Orient Town decided to celebrate it correctly, even though the NOL wasn't so fond of it. Some citizens of Ronin-gai helped too...

Yet, Litchi still looked pensive, even with the cheery atmosphere around her. Naturally, Linhua noticed this.

"...Doctor? Is something wrong?"

"...? Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking about today for a while..."

Linhua knew her too well to notice she was tormented by something.

"Look, if you don't want to tell me, it's fine. But that doesn't mean you have to look so gloomy about it."

"Hm? Do I look so bad?" Litchi asked.

"Well, no bad "bad". You just seemed...troubled, that's all." She said.

The fireworks continued. While the other residents were smiling at the spectacle, Litchi's thoughts prevented her from relaxing at all...

"You know, you can always tell me what's wrong." Linhua noticed her mood and quickly asked.

"...Perhaps someday..." Litchi smiled. "Thanks, you're right. This is no time to be sad about it."

She finally started to relax. Even though she crossed paths with Arakune, that doesn't mean she has to torture herself by thinking how is he.

"Ah, well. Perhaps another time..."

* * *

Ragna was not happy with his current situation. Sure, he was kinda okay with him being alive for another day...but now...

"Eeh~..." Noel was looking absentmindedly at the fireworks. She looked at least happy. Or perhaps she just wants to get distracted enough to deal with the realizations that happened today.

While she is too shy for her own good, I have to admit that she can easily cheer herself up.

Ragna frowned. He is a criminal, not a babysitter!

"You done?" Ragna said. "I had enough to look at that. You want to get seen and captured then, huh?"

"Eh? ! N-No, I just want to relax a little..." Noel said, fidgeting a bit.

Ragna could understand what she meant with that. He sighed, showing his discomfort.

"Listen, stupid." Ragna said. "I get that you don't get what the hell happened back there. Hell, I don't even know what the hell that rabbit meant! However, that doesn't mean you get to relax out there like nothing happened."

"But..."

"As I said, we are on the run. I don't know what that bastard wants from you, but I won't let him get it. But understand this... I'm not doing this out of kindness. I just don't want him to win..."

"..."

"So don't do something stupid, alright?"

"U-Um...I really don't think you are being honest with yourself."

That surprised Ragna.

"The hell you mean by that? !"

"You could just left me there, you know. I-I think that, since you didn't, you really are a good person in heart...even if you don't want to admit it."

Ragna didn't answer. Instead, he turned away, deciding to lean on a wall.

"Don't talk like you know me."

"But I do!" Noel said. "T-The other guy, he said that you were nice enough to share food with a Kaka."

He instantly facepalmed and swore under his breath something, obviously towards Raim.

"That damn Raim..."

"Why are you always so...angry? I don't understand..." Noel said.

The fireworks continued, but this conversation reached a touchy subject for Ragna. Now that she was directly looking at him, he couldn't avoid to see the face of Saya on her, a fact that made him recall...uncomfortable memories.

"...Nothing. It's...nothing."

Cue the stomach growls.

"...?"

"A-Ah..." Noel put her hands on her mouth, out of embarrassment. "N-No, I'm not hungry..."

"*sigh* Follow me..."

The duo walked towards the same restaurant that he and Raim went into this morning...until Ragna remembered the place was wrecked in the end.

"Ah right, I forgot..."

He thought fast and did an U-turn towards...

"...I think this place is okay, I guess..."

...Ragna? That's a baking store, not a restaurant.

"...You sure this is a restaurant?" Noel asked.

"Uh...yeah! Yeah, it is!"

Just admit that you are wrong. Save your dignity, man!

"...Okay." Noel was naive enough to believe him. "Hello? Anybody there?"

Ragna sat on the nearest bench he could find, trying to piece together everything what has happened today.

That thing about the Eye was still lingering on his mind. For some reason, the rabbit really didn't want to disclose any information to him, which just annoyed him.

Also, he didn't know what to do know. Part of him wanted to say "screw this" and chase after Terumi himself. But the other part told him to protect Noel, due to her looking like Saya.

"Dammit...what now?" Ragna closed his eyes.

"R-Ragna-san...?"

"What?" He said, mildly annoyed.

Noel brought a pair of steamed buns, along with some water.

"I thought you were hungry too, s-so..."

"Stop stammering already." Ragna said. "You really need to stop doing that."

"S-Sorry."

"And stop apologizing!" He growled. "You really have issues, don't you?"

"Don't say it like that!" She cried. "What's wrong with you? ! I just tried to be nice, and...and...!"

She was almost on the verge of tears. The other customers looked at Ragna, like saying "shame on you..."

Ragna noticed the oppressive atmosphere dawning on him. Sighing, he spoke once again.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that you really need to stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong, I get it, so would you please stop crying already? !"

Wow. What delicacy, Ragna. What delicacy...

"*sniff* O-Okay..."

"..."

Both of them were tense. One due to him not knowing how to deal with the other and the other because she was nervous.

"...Aren't you gonna eat?" Ragna told Noel. "It's your stomach that was growling."

Noel remained silent, but he obeyed Ragna and started eating. Now that the whole chaos inside the NOL basement was done with, Noel noticed that all that fighting caused her to be really hungry.

"Aren't you going to eat too...?" She asked, in a very low tone.

"Well, I'm more of a meat person myself..." Ragna said, until he noticed he was hungry too. "But hey, food is food."

"So...um, why are you angry all the time?" Noel asked.

"Hm?" Ragna was still chewing. "It's not your business."

"O-Oh..." Noel said, almost like dropping the subject. "If you say so..."

Ragna stopped to think. Knowing that she will keep asking questions at this rate, he started speaking.

"...Let's just say that this world took away everything that was precious to me..."

"What do you mean?"

"I lost my family one day. There was fire everywhere..."

Noel cringed. She really wasn't ready for that answer.

"I'm very sorry. I didn't knew..."

"It's fine." Ragna said, his face showing melancholy all of the sudden. "It happened a long time ago...but that moment made me realize how cruel this world can be."

"..."

"Remember that bastard with the green hair?"

Seto Kaiba?

"...You mean...Hazama?"

"The real name of that bastard is Terumi. He was the cause of me losing everything...my home, my family...my arm..."

"What? But your arm is fine." She pointed out.

"...It's a prosthetic." Ragna said, raising his sleeve.

Noel almost choked. The Azure itself contrasted with the rest of his skin. Not only did the mechanical look seemed alien to her, the chromatic choice of colors hinted that it was far more dangerous than it looked.

"...I thought the Azure would be different...I didn't know..."

"So you know..." He said while concealing the Azure again. "Done asking questions? Then we are leaving."

Ragna stood up without saying anything else. Noel quickly follow him.

"Y-Yes..."

Noel started following him again. They went away from the crowds, going from an alternate route that went through a deserted alley that headed below. The fireworks worked well as small flares in order to walk better.

"I think we can go out of Kagutsuchi for some time. But after that, I'll come back here. I have some unfinished business to deal with."

"With Terumi?"

"Yeah. Can't let that bastard live..." Ragna said. "However, you can choose to leave any time you want."

"I understand. And, Ragna-san?"

"*sigh* What is it now?"

"Thanks for helping me. I'm really grateful for that." Noel smiled.

Ragna blinked. For just a second, he could have sworn he saw Saya smiling at him. For some reason, that kind of relaxed him. The lights from the fireworks that made a quite beautiful contrast with her face didn't help either. He then realized that he was hallucinating and shook his head.

"Hmph." Ragna smiled. "Thanks. Just try to grow a spine, avoid doing something stupid and we'll be fine."

"Hey!" Noel shouted, offended. "I'm not stupid!"

"Sure, whatever." Okay Ragna, now you're just teasing her.

Just for today, Ragna felt like relaxing a bit. After all, he hasn't been mildly happy until today, so he wanted to make it count.

"_Control my anger, huh? Well, Raim, let's see how good I am with that...or how badly I screw up._"

For the first time in his life after that day, he was at peace.


End file.
